Family Matters
by Lex Noctis
Summary: Drabbles and prompt fills centering around the Shepard-T'Soni and Tevos-T'Loak extended families from Rae D. Magdon's TBE universe.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **This here is a collection of short stories portraying the lives of Aria, Tevos, Liara and Shepard. It takes place after the arrival of their daughters and revolves around all the changes the kids have brought into their lives. With sporadic appearances of the Legion of Aunts and Uncles, of course.

Everything here is posted with the approval of amazing **Rae D. Magdon**. This assortment of drabbles can be viewed as a companion piece to her _Moments In Time_ series. All the praise goes to her for creating such a wonderful universe!

* * *

**Family Matters**

**. . .**

**Episode 1:**_ Aria is stuck at home babysitting the kids while Tevos, Shepard and Liara are off on official business._

**. . . **

Aria's Omni-tool beeped, then buzzed. Then beeped again. The infernal thing would not shut up! She had only managed to get a few hours of sleep collapsing on the bed in her infamous leather attire. It wasn't comfortable. Not like usual nights with her bare skin on the silk sheets and Thea's warm body wrapped around her. Aria missed that warmth, not that she would freely admit that out loud. The device on her wrist buzzed in umpteenth time, interrupting what could have been a daydream about one of those mornings when Tevos was so eager to wake her up with her tongue.

Aria groaned. Evidently, whoever was on the other end of the line had_ some_ patience, or they were testing hers. She pulled herself up on her elbows and sat up on the edge of the bed. Flexing her shoulders and working the kinks out of her neck she pulled up the interface. Ugh. Why did it have to be_ her_?

Grinning face with sharp lines accentuated by heavy make up and a tattooed shoulder appeared in the frame of the call. Jack seemed to physically absorb her disheveled state, rather far from the splendor of the Pirate Queen. She spread red lips in a carnivorous grin seeping with glee.

"What do you want, convict?" drawled Aria in irritation.

"Oh, nothin' much, majesty. I just heard that Aethyta has gone off the rocker on one of her debauchery rampages. And since Miri was all over the news about the PR tour or whatever-the-fuck that is, I put two and two together."

"Get to the point!" growled Aria. The smile on Jack's face only grew wider and richer with taunt.

"How do you like being a stay-at-home mom, oh terrifying Queen of Omega? Running around after three miniature bombs equipped with biotics, huh? Must be thrilling getting to know the little fuckers better. I'm almost jealous. You know, all those exhausted nights and not having any fucking free time to yourself, toys everywhere and only you to clean up the mess..."

"If you called just to have a go at mocking me, Jack, you have to do better than this. I'm hanging up."

"Aw, come on, don't be a pussy! It's too good of an opportunity not to give you a punch in the ego! Otherwise it's gonna explode with the might of a thousand dark suns!_ Kah-fuckin'-boom!_" Jack snorted at her own joke and squinted at her. "Anyway, how long will they be gone?"

"Two more weeks. This is nothing more than a PR stunt! The annual memorial cruise of the council member Homeworlds. The whole Council on-board the Destiny Ascension. Only this time they had to drag another fifty dignitaries along for the ride." Aria let her annoyance with the precarious situation she was in show.

"Why is Liara on that thing then? Okay, she's Shepard's wifey, but why couldn't she stay at home? Like those pretentious fucks give a damn about archeology professors, ha! Or, ya know, whoever is organizing this whole shebang has ulterior motives. I had seen Liara in that asari professor outfit of hers. Seriously hot, like uptight librarian hot."

"Her influence among the matriarchs has been growing..." Aria ignored the last jab answering absently and concentration far more on the sounds of the house. The silence was suspicious. Either all three of hyperactive kids were still asleep, or they were plotting something.

"So you have been left on your own playing house with T'Soni's brood!" Jack laughed. "This is rich. Don't forget to feed them and shit. I had enough problems taking care of Eezo at first. Can't imagine you being a responsible mom."

"_That's because I'm not! Thea is the one..."_ words almost left her lips before Aria could stop herself. That wasn't for any other ears to hear, especially not those pierced ones. Fortunately she was spared from continuing the conversation. Although, 'spared' might be not quite what Aria would have named the interruption.

A loud_ bang!_ at the door was accompanied by an equally loud yell of "Surprise!" The door swung open and two small cannonballs whizzed towards Aria at astounding speed. Lycoris landed on her lap with a single jump while Diana hat to climb up the side of the bed first. They both clamored to see who she was talking to and wrestled with each other for the best seat. Sparing the rascals a glare, but not having the energy for much more after the apocalypse that was last night, Aria threw a look at the door. Athena was there peeking in on the side of the doorway and waiting permission to enter. Aria motioned Athena to come closer. She had always been a lot calmer and proper in the mornings. Unlike the two pine-sized cluster grenades fighting for a better view on her lap.

"Auntie Jack! What's up!"

"Corrie, lemme see! Hey Aunt Jack, you got any new pictures on your arms?"

"Ow, don't push it, Di! And she couldn't get any, 'cause her arms are already filled up!"

"No way, how would you know?"

"I'm older and smarter, that's how."

Aria closed her eyes for a moment gathering up her patience. A week with these two had already been a challenge, least of all she needed Jack to be getting on her nerves as well. The said biotic was laughing and watching the fight with that sort of an amused glint in her eyes that could at any time turn manic. Aria had to put a quick end to this.

"You two, calm down now! Jack has been calling to ask me something and now she has to go."

"Yeah, gotta go!" Jack snorted and gave Aria a little roll of her eyes. "Be good you little f-... fuzzballs! Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Bye-bye!"

"Bye, Auntie Jack!"

Once the call ended Aria shrugged off the kids off her lap and went to the bathroom. High pitched, excited voices were heard through the opened door while she attempted to address the fatigue settling in on her face. It would have been so much easier if she could use a nanny or even hire a babysitter. But even a thought of handing her child over to someone, someone who has not been scrutinized and trusted beyond what was possible, send a shiver down her spine. It wasn't just about Lycoris, Aria would never let anything happen to the other kids in her care. Which meant relying only on herself. Shaking off unwanted thoughts she dried her face and listened closer.

"The, wanna bet I can lift Diana up?"

"Hey! I don't wanna!" the squeal was accompanied by a whine. "Atheeeeena!"

"That is not fair, Corrie. You biotics are showing, you'll just cheat."

"Nah, I can lift her on my own. Look!"

"Eeek! Corrie, you suck! Put me down!"

With a heavy sigh Aria gave her reflection in the mirror a weary glance and returned to the bedroom. One wave of biotics and Lycoris was suspended in the air by a perfectly placed Singularity.

"I do not find that I like the way you are behaving, Lycoris." she said wearing a stern frown that didn't quite hit the mark. Partially because Aria was too tired and not all that concerned what her daughter was doing was really dangerous. Partially because as it turns out this use of biotics was not the best way to show she could be a true disciplinarian.

Lycoris giggled trying to make swimming gestures with her arms and legs, but that only made her rotate along her axis. More excited giggling ensued. Diana was staring at the levitating friend with enormous, awestruck eyes. Her mouth hung open for a minute until she clasped her hands together and exclaimed burning with excitement:

"I wanna fly like Corrie!"

"I thought you wanted to be put down, little one?" drawled Aria in a futile attempt to find logic in child's antics.

"And now I wanna fly! Send me up, too! Please-please-please!"

Giving up on pretending to play the part of a strict mother and custodian properly, Aria used a quick Pull to tether Diana to the same Singularity. The girls laughed and floated next to each other trying to clasp at limbs, but remaining just out of reach. In the meanwhile Aria lowered her eyes to Athena. The girl was bemused by the levitation trick, yet did not ask to be included. Nor did she look like she really wanted to. She glanced up at Aria giving her a shy little smile that was uncanny like her mothers. Despite herself Aria felt a surge of affection for that child. Athena did inherit the mischievousness of Liara as well, but she instinctively knew when the grown ups needed a hand. Moreover, she seemed to enjoy helping. Aria regarded her with half a smile tugging at her lips.

"Now, how about you and I go get breakfast going? Since I doubt there will be any help from those two. Not that we can't make a great meal on our own. Right?"

"Okay!" Athena beamed at her and tray as she may Aria could not stay unaffected by such an adorable smile.

She took Athena's hand and lead them out of the room. "Come on, you two!" she added with a tug of biotics. Two weightless kids were dragged after Aria like a couple of hot balloons to further merriment of said balloon-replacements.

Maybe, just maybe, there was something about this parenting thing Aria could handle even without her bondmate.


	2. Chapter 2

**Episode 2:**_ Shepard and Liara are visiting Omega for the first time since Athena's birth. Aria is being more paranoid than usual._

**. . .**

"They are all incompetent! Why is it so hard to find good operatives these days? Right, most likely because they all have been killed off by the Reapers, that's why!" Aria grumbled under her breath.

Locked in her personal office in the luxurious apartment she owned on Omega Aria paced, then sat down, then paced some more. She was not handling this visit to her domain as well as she hoped. And there was a very good reason for it. This was the first time Shepard and Liara had brought little Athena with them. The responsibility of hosting her friends was not a bother to her, but Athena… Coupled with upcoming anniversary, a date Aria dreaded approaching every year, the presence of another child had her teetering on the edge.

Omega was always a ruthless place. Aria held it in her iron fist, true, but that did not meant much the last time. There was not enough security in the universe to assure complete safety, even for someone like her. Any guard can be bribed, any secret can be tortured out, any security system can be hacked. Aria knew that better than anyone. She spend most of the time before the birth of her daughter and since in endless attempts to clean up Omega and toughen up her personal force. The apartment complex became more of a bunker on the outside. Having Shepard and Liara over send her in overdrive. Aria could not stop, she had made four unannounced checks of the personnel this week alone. The agents watching the customs were tripled. None of that could ease her nerves either way.

For several years Aria had insisted on hosting or visiting their friends outside of Omega. On the Citadel where the newly reinforced C-Sec could provide agreeable level of protection. Or Thessia. Goddess knew, Liara had not spared any expenses ensuring the T'Soni Estate was a fortress. Neither did Aria with their place on Thessia. The abundance of Aria's personal guards and top security measures around their home had caused brows to be raised and rumor mill to call her a bad influence on the Councilor again. Aria could not have cared less.

But Omega was dangerous, it was the epitome of chaos. Aria had fostered the state of the lawless, deadly capital of Terminus herself. Having Lycoris here was stressful enough, adding another tiny asari she genuinely cared for was too much.

However, this time Thea would not listen anymore. It was time for all of them to get out more, she said. It was time to get back to their routine, she said. Even Councilors needed a vacation from the Citadel, Admirals - to get away from Earth and Shadow Brokers take a week off, she said!

Still, Tevos _did _understand, better than anyone. The paranoia and overprotectiveness. She knew the reason for it. It was her suggestion. Aria had returned to Omega in a far bigger company that she expected. Somehow in the midst of frantic preparations she missed the subtle mention that Shepard, Liara and their daughter were apparently coming too. She would under no circumstances admit to it, but Aria felt better with Shepard around. That human was one of the most formidable warriors Aria had ever seen in action and she would protect Lycoris to the death, just as her own child.

But it all came down to the fact that Aria was now responsible for two kids. Two tiny lives she had to protect no matter what. Aria grumbled unintelligibly yet still keeping her voice down.

The door opened with a gentle swoosh and raising her eyes Aria was presented with the view of her bondmate. Instead of a dress, she was wearing some kind of human outfit. These clothes were supposed to be more practical to move around while playing with kids, easier to clean too. The shirt and pants clung snugly to her figure and Aria found that this domestic Thea could warms up her heart among other places just as effortlessly.

"We are going to have lunch. How about you join us, Aria? You have been spending an awful lot of time in here."

"I'm not hungry. I still have some reports to go over."

"Aria… I can see your agitation. Nothing is going to happen tomorrow. We're safe. It's just a date. The best way we can honor Liselle is to have fun on her birthday. Come on, have something to eat. You can tease Shepard about being the big softie she is with Athena."

"Fine. I'll be a minute." Thea always knew how to offer her the right incentive.

Catching a glimpse of a wink Tevos gave her on her way out, Aria looked down at her terminal checking for the latest progress report.

Her eyes widened as she read on. Irelon Corlis, a fairly infamous drell contract killer, was spotted in the Terminus. There was no intel on his target or the individual who hired him. There was also no indication he was headed for Omega or that his target could have anything to do with Aria, but this was the last drop. The incompetence of all those spies and agents! How could something like that slip the net!

Aria had been walking on needles for the past week. The tension was boiling inside of her, fear and paranoia consuming every corner of her mind. No matter how irrational her extreme worry had been, she could not let it go. On the contrary, it had been steadily worming deeper and deeper into her brain. Until this message, until she just couldn't hold it in anymore.

With a sharp cry Aria spun on her heels, the blazing blue of biotics engulfing her whole, and threw a Warp at the nearest wall.

There was no way to blame the wall for what happened next. Or the construction workers who build it. The wall was reinforced, but it hasn't counted on Aria, much less very angry Aria.

A hole appeared in the wall, a hole the size of an average asari torso. Little bits and pieces of the melted polycarbonate were still crumbling off and falling on the floor of the enormous living room space on the other side.

Aria stood frozen in her study staring at the giant hole in the wall. Thank the Goddess for her lavish tastes and the size of the room. Were the floor planning any different, she could have hurt someone. Through her shocked stated Aria realized there were exited tiny voiced coming from the hole. Then a scarlet head of hair pushed into view. Shepard was looking concerned, but not distressed. It was safe to assume no one was injured.

"Aria? Is everything alright?" she grinned. "Yeah, that's a stupid question given this hole here, but you know what I mean."

Aria simply nodded and briskly walked out of her study to survey the damage. All her rage and worry was replaced by familiar calmness. She could feel her swagger returning like all that she really needed was to release her pent up anxiety.

Stopping at the threshold of the living space she found herself, or rather her legs, attacked by two toddlers. Both Lycoris and Athena were grinning at her, each hugging one leg happy as can be.

"That was cooooool!" giggled Lycoris supported from the other side by another tiny voice.

"Moe fieewoks!" Athena was tugging at her leather pants and for a second Aria wondered how the child's fingers managed to get a hold of the tighter-than-tight leather. Then her mind caught on to what Athena was trying to say.

"Fireworks?" she raised her brow muscle shifting the facial tattoo in question.

Shepard moved over in a beat swooping her daughter off the floor and into her arms. After perching Athena on her hip, she send Aria an uncharacteristically bashful grin. "Last time we were back on Earth, it was the Alliance Unification Day. I guess, she liked it."

"They thought I did it on purpose?" That question was not much smarter that Shepard's, but Aria was well beyond caring at this point.

Shepard shrugged. "I think, they just thought it was pretty. They're kids, they can see beauty and fun in anything. You should try it. Makes a lot easier to deal with stress."

"Daddy! Do it again!" sounds off the floor were again increased in intensity by Athena clapping her hands.

For several minutes Aria moved her disbelieving eyes from her own daughter to Shepard and Athena and back again. Then, as if some curtain finally lifted, she exploded into laughter. It was almost hysterical and she had to brace herself on the door frame.

Finally, she scooped Lycoris into her arms and held the squirming, giggling daughter close. Who would have known, the offspring had something to teach the parent?


	3. Chapter 3

**Episode 3:**_ Aunts, Uncles, Shep and the blueberries are dancing at a party. Liara and Ash are at the bar. Big revelation follows._

**. . . **

The annual Shepard Second Birthday activities were in full swing. Liara stood at the kitchen counter watching on as the birthday girl was assaulted by their daughters in the living room. Naturally they were surrounded by all the Aunts and Uncles her children could ever dream of. So many remarkable people to nurture and love then, to protect them with all their might. Her daughter truly did have the biggest family in the known galaxy. Well, maybe with the exception of Wrex and his innumerous brood.

It did not take Benezia more than two minutes to get the music going and after some hushed whispering with Miranda they dragged most of the crowd to the makeshift dance floor. Liara fiddled with her drink while admiring just how effortlessly Miranda has taken to her youngest daughter. They were dancing in the middle, though the little asari definitely had more moves fueled purely by the abundancy of childhood energy. And when Jack tried to steal her girlfriend away Nezzy would have none of that shooing and stomping the feared biotic away. Jack cowered in mock fear accepting the compromise of all three dancing together.

"Enjoying the show?" asked the female voice from behind her back.

Ashley leaned on her elbows next to Liara at the bar. Ash gave her a wink and nodded to the dance floor overflowing with some exceedingly inebriated pairs. As if taking on a mind of their own Liara's eyes darted to Tevos and Aria intertwined at the very outskirts next to the fireplace. She blinked and willed herself to look away. The sight of Athena, Lycoris, Tali and Sam in a tight circle laughing about something and throwing bemused glances at very energetic Vega was much safer for this occasion.

"I have a duty as the hostess to observe if anyone needs a refill." _Yes, that was smooth, T'Soni!_

"Uh-huh." Ash playfully bumped her shoulder.

There was a calculating squint to her eyes for a while as Williams observed the dancing people. Liara remembered seeing it so many times on the battlefield. Ashley was reassesing something, something that required her sharp attention even after several drinks.

"So, Liara, I wanted to ask for a while… If that is alright with you, that is. About how much of your kids is Shepard and how much is you."

"Hmm… What do you mean, exactly?"

"Well, I know you just mix up your own genetic material and stuff like that. What I was wondering was, is there something hereditary that a Father to an asari could give her?"

"There are no genetic illnesses that can be transmitted through the melding process."

"No! God, no! I mean, like, traits? Birthmarks or bone structure. Stuff like that. Or perhaps quirks? Though that would not be genetic, I guess."

"I suppose…" Liara paused. "Athena has Shepard's eyes. Diana has some of her build, physically. Nezzy inherited her smile. There is a great deal of little things. Sometimes I can catch a glimpse of her in any of our daughters. And while much of it has been nurtured, a large part had to have been inherited. I never really thought about it in detail. Why are you asking?"

Ashley gave her a wistful smile. "It's just with my sisters I knew right away what they got from our Mom and what from Dad. Probably 'cause I grew up with them. You right I could see Shepard right away in Athena and Benezia has that same jerk of her head. But with Diana I just could not see it. She is doing so great with her training! So diligent and hardworking. Her hand-to-hand combat scores are impressive. She even beat me twice this week! And to top it all off she is a great shot. Mind you, not Vakarian level, but really good. I mean, really Shepard's kid and she can hit the bulls eye? Ha!"

They exchanged a knowing smirks. Shepard's dislike for anything but her trusted geth shotgun was widely known, her physical inability to hit a moving target - a source of endless fun for the squad.

"If I understand correctly, Ashley, you are having trouble believing Diana is really Shepard's daughter?" inquired Liara with a raise of her brow.

"Holy hell, of course not! Not at all like that!" Ash stared at her with wide eyes, then she shook her head and fiddled with her drink. "It was just I was curious if little Di had somehow absorbed all the outstanding qualities of her parents. She really is something, you know? And then I thought how can I be good enough to train her? She would be much better off with a matriarch commando or something."

"Oh, Ashley! You are the best coach she would…"

"No, it's fine!" interrupted Williams with a huge grin. "Today I have discovered something that put the world back in order." Seeing Liara's puzzled expression she motioned to the dancers with her head. "Now, take a good look at Shepard. You should know her reeeally good by now."

Liara obeyed finding her bondmate in the crowd. Shepard was wedged in-between the huge figure of Wrex on one side and Garrus on the other. Liara had to suppress a chuckle at seeing the awkward shuffle her bondmate called dancing. Goddess, she loved that woman with all her heat, but there were three things she knew Shepard simply could not do. First was accuracy, second was driving and third… Third was dancing.

"Okay." Ash seemed to be satisfied with her conclusions even if Liara did not voice them. "Now, watch Diana and tell me what you see."

Frowning just slightly Liara moved her eyes over to her daughter on the other side of the room next to Samara. It took three seconds for her to gasp in disbelief. How could she not have noticed it before? Diana was repeating the exact same small shuffle her Dad has 'perfected' over the years! Arms close to her torso, legs barely apart and that uncertain sway as if she was dizzy and not in a good way. Liara glanced between Shepard and Diana getting more convinced that even they had no clue! The cherry on top as Ash would say, were their facial expressions. A bit resentful and smug at the same time. It was incredible.

"How did you…?" breathed out Liara, the unspoken question hanging in the air.

"I don't know. I just noticed. I'm pretty sure Shepard did not coach her. So it has to be genetic, right? There is no one else in the freaking galaxy who can do _that _and call it dancing! That also means now I can plainly see the resemblance. Diana is not a flawless gem, that super progeny I thought she was, no offence, by the way. She's my kind of girl. Just like Shepard."

"Bad on the dance floor?" questioned Liara not lost on the irony of the statement.

"No. She knows how not to care about what others think and still have a good time. Which I think I'm gonna join in on."

Ashley gave her a pat on the arm and strolled towards the dancers raising her own arms above her head and swaying her hips to the beat. Liara on her part sat down at the counter letting her thoughts drift freely. She had to digest the oddest discovery she had made today. She did not know how long she sat deep in thought nursing her drink until familiar hands snaked around her waist. A chin was lowered on her shoulder making her smile and lean back.

"What are you doing sitting here all alone? It's my birthday, but I'm always ready to whisk my bondmate away if she but says the word."

"Flatterer." sighed Liara. "I was thinking."

"What about?"

She threw a look towards Diana speaking animatedly to Ash on the couch. "Perhaps, one day I will tell you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Episode 4: **_Liara witnesses just how much of a doofus Shepard is with their daughter. Again._

**. . .**

There was another report from the agents placed in the Salarian Union. Even though their influence had waned after the war, the crafty salarians, both the politicians and their surviving support structure in the STG were tirelessly trying to put the Union back on top. Over the last two years the Shadow Broker had to interfere with some of their more outrageous plans at least fifteen times. And despite the failures they had persisted.

Liara reclined back in her chair and away from the warm orange glow of the terminal. Despite Glypth's constant assistance in sifting through data, she Liara was beginning to grow tired of the monotony. For many years her work had been deeply fulfilling. She did have a cnack for cataloguing, deciphering patterns in the raw data, combining seemingly unrelated bits and pieces to form a cohesive hypothesis. Applying what she had learned from her academic career as an archaeologist in combination with her skill and experience as an information broker proved to be the perfect fit. She could make a difference and be good at what she did. Liara was exactly where she wanted to be.

But then… Then there were the peaceful, calming years after the war. The years, not weeks or months, she could spend with Shepard. Simply being there, together. Liara could still remember the bonding ceremony as one of the happiest days of her life. Another one being the birth of their daughter. Finally, that silly promise Shepard had made her on the Normandy right before she left for certain death again… Finally, that ridiculous at the time promise of "marriage, old age, and a lot of little blue children" had magically come true.

And _that _was where Liara heart was calling her now. The reports and data and helping the whole galaxy did not cease to be important to her, but at the same time it all somehow seemed insignificant next to Athena's smile. Her little, tiny fingers and happy gurgling noises when she was just a baby. The first time she looked into those huge green eyes so much like her fathers, Liara was transformed. The first time Athena slipped off her blanket and crawled across the room with incredible speed. The first time she stood up on her own grasping with her small hands at the fabric of her father's pants. The first time she spoke, the first time she called for her.

Those moments became her life now. The silly promise made real. A family she couldn't have dreamed of having.

Liara listened for the sounds outside of her study. The private smile that formed on her lips grew as she recognized the voices. There were some noises imitating real-life sounds and an excited squeal of a toddler. Some more sounds that grew louder and quieter, rising above the noise was a high pitched command, followed by a rush of footsteps.

Unable to resist and frankly needing a break Liara got up from her chair and left her office. She moved through the corridor to the archway leading to the living area, careful not to attract unwanted attention to her presence too soon. Liara stood at the precipice of the room frozen at the sight before her.

In the middle of the large living space barefeet on the enormous rug was the famous Commander Shepard. Although, right now she was nothing like what the vids had made of her. Shepard was dressed in knee-long cargo shorts and a loose sleeveless tee. That look was a far cry from her usually strict military attire. But, of course, that was not the most drastic of changes compared to the image she had put on for the public eye.

A blue-skinned asari toddler was perched on her broad shoulders. Athena had her still a bit stubby legs scrunched up around the tough neck of the soldier and her little hands were weaved into the messy red hair. Liara almost given up her cover when she saw what her bondmate had dressed Athena into. It was completely Shepard's idea in the first place. Custom-made, sturdy and easy to clean black and gray onesie spotted a stripe of white-red over Athena's right sleeve. The words inscribed in big letters across child's chest and belly were obscured by Shepard's scarlet locks, but Liara knew perfectly well what was written there.

'_FUTURE MAKO DRIVER'_

Indeed, it could only have been Shepard's idea. Liara leaned her head on the wall knowing her face to be shining with adoration and happiness of the moment. The fidgeting of her daughter caught her eye. Pulling at the tiny fistfulls of hair like the reigns of a tamed animal Athena exclaimed in the most adorable impersonation of her father:

"Go, Normandy, go!"

Immediately Shepard's arms went wide to imitate wings, she ducked a bit and trotted forward swaying from side to side, but keeping her head straight. She was making ship noises, whooshing and whizzing, which sounded like she had been taking some lessons from Tali on proper ship impersonation techniques. She made a small loop around the coffee table, then she turned and slid past the couch towards one of the Prothean statues placed along the wall.

"Enemy ship is approaching, Commander!" reported Shepard with a worried tone in her voice, but a huge grin on her face. "What are your orders?"

"Go pew-pew!" happily squealed the captain swinging one of her tiny fingers towards the relic.

'The ship' promptly obeyed the command. Shepard pulled her arms forward, made guns out of her hands and motioned them in make-belief shots. Along with that she had provided the audio portion of the firing solution.

"_Pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew!_" rattled on 'the Normandy' shifting to the left in avoidance of return fire, then there was the loud _"Kaaaah-booom! Kubduuu-ghhh-duh-shhhh!"_ of the explosion and the final report: "The enemy ship destroyed! Mission accomplished!"

Athena yelled "Yeeeeeey!" as Shepard had coaxed her from her shoulders and into her arms. She smirked down on her brave little Commander.

"Victors deserve a proper salute and recognition!"

With that she had gripped Athena and thrown her gently up in the air. Their daughter laughed and giggled landing safely back in Shepard's arms. She gripped the little asari bundle close and swirled them around coaxing more ecstatic shrieks out of her. After two full rounds Shepard pulled Athena back to her chest letting her perch on her arm and play with the metal tags that hung from her neck. She was visibly out of breath after however many rounds of this game, only the last of which Liara had witnessed.

"Now, what do you say the victors go grab some snacks? It is hard work keeping the galaxy safe."

"I wanna icekrem!" demanded 'the Commander', though under the expectant gaze of the green eyes she amended bashfully: "Please?"

"Alright, but only one big spoon. And we'll have to keep this a secret from your mother." She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper to the child's utter delight.

"Oh, no, I don't think so!" interrupted Liara moving away from her hiding spot at the threshold.

Both guilty conspirators turned towards her. Shepard gave her a sheepish grin and Athena beamed extending her arms and making grabby hand gestures.

"Mama! We play Normandy! Wanna go?"

"No, I would not want 'the Normandy' to be broken from exhaustion, would I?" Liara reached out and let the child migrate into her arms. A second later another set of strong arms enclosed around them both. Shepard dropped her forehead to meet Liara's. Her red locks were damp and sticking to her temples, she smelled, too, but in the moment Liara could not pull away. Nor did she really wanted to.

"You are impossible, Shepard. How many times do I have to tell you not to spoil her so much? Ice cream before dinner? That is no way to properly raise a responsible child."

"You know that I can't help it. I mean, how can _you _ever say no to that face?"

They both looked down at the giggling and strangely proud child for once content at being relatively calm and quiet. Still, Athena was looking at them with those enormous green eyes on the round face and a mischievous smile that she surely had inherited from her mother. Liara sighed - half indescribable contentment, half - pretend irritation.

"I find it exceedingly difficult. However, someone has to be the voice of reason in this family. And since your father is a goof as the humans say, I had to take on the role."

"Hey!" protested Shepard in mock indignation, then she snorted and leaned in for a fleeting kiss. "I am going to take a shower if you can watch her, humm?"

"We will start the dinner. No worries, right my dear?" cooed Liara to her daughter as they separated and headed in opposite directions. Three steps in Liara stopped and turned calling to her bondmate in the doorway. "Shepard!"

"Yes?" She half-turned leaning on the doorway to the bathrooms.

"You… You are a great father, Shepard. I don't want you to ever doubt that. Even if you sometimes spoil Athena too much, you are the best father to my daughter I could have wished for. I love you."

"I know."


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: **Just a small note. I know it's heartbreaking to learn that Shepard had to die at some point, but it does happen. My personal headcanon for this universe is that she lived to 443, which is almost triple of an average human's lifespan. Yeah, sorry about that. Though, this drabble is mostly about Benezia.

* * *

**Episode 5: **_Liara watches Benezia as a grown and successful diva and is reminded of another time._

**_. . ._**

Liara lounged in a deep, comfortable chair shifting her gaze from one screen to the other. She gotten used to read the data streams without needing a transcriber. It has been so many years since she had any trouble shifting through the steady stream of numbers and symbols. The network was polished to perfection, Liara did not need to interfere or correct it anymore. Her face remained impartial as information on riots, political assassinations, EEZO shipments and tabs on the Citadel's embezzlers flashed across the different screens. Everything will be catalogued, dissected and dealt with accordingly. The Shadow Broker's organization had always been formidable, feared and respected. But over the last four hundred and some years of Liara's tenure it had become a hidden cornerstone on which the galaxy's lasting peace relied.

Liara scanned the feeds again finding that there was not much that needed her attention at the moment. She sighed and closed her eyes. The fatigue and loneliness was beginning to get to her despite the assumption that she should be used to it by now. It has been century and a half since Shepard had departed. She used to tell herself that it was more than she could have rationally wished for. Shepard was granted an exceptionally long life, triple to that of an average human. For over four hundred years her bondmate had filled Liara's existence with love and happiness and then she was gone. That pain had subsided since, mellowed down to a steady, quiet throb deep within her heart. It would never go away, Liara knew it, but she had to learn to live with it. For her daughters, and for the billions she felt responsible for.

Her daughters that had all left the nest as Shepard would say, too. They all found something to follow, something to strive for. And Liara was proud, truly happy that they were following what their hearts desired. Still, the Estate became empty and cold without people coming and going. Waves of loneliness would catch up with her from time to time and Liara had long since resigned to the fact that the only antidote open to her was very specific company. She sighed turning to her private terminal to give Aria and Thea a call. Ask if she could stay with them for a while. Again.

Instead of reaching for her contacts she spotted a blinking notification on one of her personal filters. She pushed the search result up on the larger monitor. It was a raw, unedited footage of a news broadcast from the recent theatrical gala - something Liara paid very little attention to. Watching the galaxy's celebrities move up the red carpet under the flashes and adoring looks of fans did not equate to entertainment in her mind. But her filters would only pick up something important, and there was nothing else to do anyway, so Liara watched on as the female human reporter went on and on about music and movies and the gossip surrounding the stars.

She interviewed some of them. A salarian screenwriter who babbled about depiction of real sentient emotions and burdens of longevity like he knew anything about it. An asari-human pop group and a krogan opera singer. Some actors and actresses, directors, writers, producers, critics and personalities. It all became dull and repetitive after a while. Liara had half a mind to turn it off when a loud murmur of the crowd caught her attention.

At the far end of the red walk the long sky car stopped and security jumped up to it to open the doors. First out was a stern-looking asari in a sleek business suit and a data-pad in her hand. She surveyed the venue like a tactical field, then nodded to herself and moved away. Another asari exited the car. This one was younger with light purple skin and dressed in a burgundy gown sporting rather revealing cut-outs. She smiled brightly at the flashing cameras moving to the side of the door. Another figure emerged from the inside. This time - a human woman. Her blonde curls were put up in an intricate hairdo and her gown was silver and yellow. This woman had sharp, angular features, but her smile was just as bright as the purple-skinned asari. Both reached out their hands to help the final guest exit the vehicle.

Two dark blue hands took the extended limbs and the actual star emerged from the car to booming cheers from the crowd and relentless flashes of the paparazzi. The asari straightened up letting her royal black gown slither to the ground. It sparkled with the layer of diamonds that adorned the dark as night silk, the intent of the fashion designer was to make the dress look like a slice of the cosmos and he thoroughly succeeded. As she straightened the new arrival gave a small wave to the cameras. She posed for a second, then offered her arms to her companions. All three proceeded to move up the carpet nodding and beaming at the crowd. The stiff asari-assistant followed suit blending in with the security.

Liara could not help the enormous warm smile that bloomed on her lips. The loneliness and chill in her chest were replaced by overwhelming sense of pride and love. She had seen her daughter being out in public, but oftentimes they would have to hide and avoid the attention of ever persistent media. This time she could see Benezia fully in her element. She was radiant. Absorbing, relishing the attention and love she was receiving, giving off as much of an appreciation for her popularity and fan support as she could. Liara could hardly believe the stunning diva on the red walk was indeed her daughter.

Suffering through the boredom of the first half and hour of this broadcast was worth it. The same reporter that had interviewed the other celebrities intercepted the group for a chat. Seems it was arranged in advance since the scary manager had only afforded a stiff nod to the reported and went back to her datapad.

"Dear viewers! Here we are with Benezia T'Soni, one of the absolute stars of this Awards Season. She had once again taken the scene by storm with her latest single and the newest movie."

"You are too kind, dear." drawled Benezia in response with an all-too-familiar indulgent smirk.

"Many of our viewers would like to know what had inspired you to write 'Allure'? Was there anything special you used for recording sessions? Any real-life experiences that found their way into that song?"

"I always loved to sing. Concentration, a good team of talented musicians and one fantastic idea is all we needed to create 'Allure'. Perhaps, a bit of pampering on my part." Benezia laughed. "As far as what inspired the writing process… You can ask Anita, she was the brilliant mind behind the lyrics."

The interviewer turned her attention to the human blonde to Benezia's right. Anita's smile did not waver, but she bumped her shoulder with Nezzy's at the misdirect of the question.

"Anita, you have been working with Benezia for how long now?"

"Six years. One of my lyrics sheets got misplaced when I was working as a backup singer on her third compilation album. Benezia picked it up and to my surprise liked it enough to offer me a job. Later that year we partnered up to launch our first co-opted single. The rest is history."

"Is there any special significance behind the lyrics of 'Allure'? The song is very romantic, the critics have been calling it the lover's serenade of this season. Have you been drawing inspiration from your personal life?"

Anita glanced back at Benezia who was observing the interaction from under the hooded eyelids. She chuckled at the lack of any reaction and returned to the reporter with the same smile.

"Songwriters always draw from their own feelings. Otherwise the song will be dishonest, hollow. I wanted 'Allure' to speak to the listeners. Reach their hearts. Of course, the wonderful voice of my partner played a major role. 'Allure' would not be what it is without her vocals."

Liara did not miss the way Anita subtly leaned to the side towards Benezia, neither she'd guess, would any attentive viewer. The reported shifted gears and asked her daughter another question.

"Now, as we all know, 'Thessian Songbird' has been widely popular. It is the highest grossing film of the year. It has been compared to many of asari classics as well as called a modern phenomenon. Are there any plans in the works for a sequel?"

"Yes, there have been talks. I can not confirm if the studio has given a go ahead on it, or if the creative team behind that project will return. All I can say is that I am interested and would love to reprise my role."

"Getting more personal, is it true that you have just returned from the vacation on Nevos, where you have been spending time with your girlfriend and business partner? Seeing you walk up the red carpet hand in hand with them does raise some questions, wouldn't you agree?"

The asari to the left of Benezia lost her airy lax posture glaring the reported down. Her cheerful attitude changed in a second revealing a steely edge to her posture.

"Personal questions are off limits, you should have been notified. We do prefer to keep our private lives private. I…" her admonishment in front of a running camera was stopped short by Benezia's arm snaking around her waist and a subtle kiss on the cheek. The star herself gave the taken aback reporter an indulgent chuckle.

"You must excuse Selendis, dear, she is rather protective of me. Although, you will go further in your career if you respect the wishes of those you are interviewing. Like right now, for example. You have lost your chance at an amazing exclusive, isn't that a shame?" Benezia paused smiling brightly and enjoying the flabbergasted woman's reaction. "Oh, I'm afraid we have to take our leave. These lovely ladies do need to escort me inside. Enjoy the evening."

With a low laughter Nezzy left being gracefully flanked by her companions. Liara could see the camera following them and hear the chatter of outraged producers on the other channel reprimanding the out of line reporter. Having seen enough Liara turned off the recording. Seeing her youngest daughter being so confident and radiant in her element swimming in adoration of millions had brought a smile to her face and warmth spilling over her chest. Benezia truly came into her own after reaching her Matron stage. Liara leaned back and turned her reminiscing gaze towards the wall not seeing it.

From the moment Benezia was born Liara knew she would aspire to greatness. Not in the way that her other daughters were. Not in the way she or Shepard had been thrust into the role of leaders and saviours, but on her own time and at her own pace.

The smile grew wider when she remembered the first little sign of what her Little Wing would grow to become. Now in retrospect it seemed to be clear as day, but back then Liara was simply overwhelmed with happiness to think twice of that fated performance.

Nezzy was still a child back then, showered with love and affection and, perhaps, spoiled a bit too much. She gotten used to be the center of attention. To always have her parents and sisters around. To be adored by the multitudes of Aunts and Uncles. And she loved it. Loved excelling at something to tease her sisters and brag jokingly of her superiority to them. Loved being able to manipulate her father into doing anything for her baby. Loved being encircled by the grown ups and being allowed to order them around. More often than not, she was a handful.

But sometimes, sometimes she would come up with a way to turn it all around. One of those times had been when Shepard took Athena and Diana to their biotic gymnastics and Nezzy insisted on staying home with mommy. She would not say why only whispering near her crest that it would be their secret. Once the girls left, Liara sat Benezia down on the chair in the living room and looked expectantly at her.

"We are alone, Little Wing. What do you want to do? What is the secret?"

Benezia beamed. She climbed down from the chair and shooed Liara to seat on the couch. When Liara submitted her daughter straightened up to all of her tiny size and blurted out practically vibrating with excitement:

"Ima gonna sing for mommy!"

Liara nodded leaning forward to be a bit closer to her height. "What are you going to sing for me, darling?" added she with a smile just as bright.

"Daddy sang a starry song for me! Now I'm gonna sing it for mommy!"

Liara stifled back a laugh at the serious expression on that tiny face. She nodded again letting the toddler have total freedom. Nezzy gave a theatrical bow, straightened up, spread her legs a little bit and began singing in English. Benezia was extremely proud of the fact that she had an easier time learning English than her sisters did. One reason for that astonishing change might have had something to do with a change in teacher. Their youngest daughter was taught by Miranda and not Shepard, though the redhead would occasionally help out and refuse to admit that her teaching skills were in any way inferior. Instead of grammar and communication lessons, Shepard had chosen the route of appealing to the child's imagination. She sang songs and read old human books out loud. Naturally, Benezia grew to relish the time she got to spend with daddy, her bedtime stories and songs.

Something that she wanted to share with Liara now. And, _Goddess_, was that not precious?!

"_Twinkle, twinkle, little star,  
__How I wonder what you are.  
__Up above the world so high,  
__Like a diamond in the sky.  
__Twinkle, twinkle, little star,  
__How I wonder what you are!__"_

Benezia stretched up with each verse trying to articulate the vowels and scrunching up her little face in concentration. Liara clamped a hand over her mouth to keep the laughter from escaping. Her heart was about to give out it swelled so much. As much of a little devil Benezia could be, she was also adorable beyond words when she wanted.

"_When the blazing sun is gone,  
__When there's nothing he shines upon,  
__Then you show your little light,  
__Twinkle, twinkle, through the night.  
__Twinkle, twinkle, little star,  
__How I wonder what you are!"_

Nezzy poofed out some air and took another lungful to continue singing. She was swaying a little to the melody and the way her eyes sparkled spoke volumes of how much she enjoyed singing.

"_In the dark blue sky so deep  
__Through my curtains often peep  
__For you never close your eyes  
_'_Til the morning sun does rise  
__Twinkle, twinkle, little star  
__How I wonder what you are!"_

Benezia stretched the ending pulling her body in a string and reaching up on her tip toes. She finished singing with a small wave of her hand and bowed again. It was as much flourish as a toddler could give a performance. Either way Liara did not care, as far as she was concerned this was the best song she had ever heard.

"Did you like the starry song, mommy?" asked the breathless child shifting from one foot to the other. She was so confident and demanding most of the time, but this time she was just a bit hesitant.

Liara gathered her brilliant daughter in her arms and hugged her as tightly as she dared to. She lowered her head and peppered kisses all over her small face to the excited giggles of the child. They laughed and sighed together. Liara could feel the moisture gathering in her eyes. Once her swelling heart settled down, Liara looked straight into her little daughter's sparkling eyes and said:

"One day, my Little Wing, one day you will be the most famous singer in the galaxy."


	6. Chapter 6

**Episode 6: **_Shepard and Liara find out that their second daughter is in a long-term relationship._

**. . .**

"You're gonna tell them, aren't you?" Diana's eyes narrowed, she was having trouble holding her biotics back, but the house rules were clear – no more biotics at home and so she just clenched and unclenched her fists.

"Oh, I'm not doing it out of malice, sis. I'm simply bored and annoyed. Why does everyone in this house want to keep secret girlfriends? First Athena and Corrie, now you. It's _an-noy-ing_. So get your shit together and tell Mom and Dad," Benezia gave her a sweet little smile that would not fool anyone, especially not the sister that had lived the better part of their lives with her. "Or I will."

Diana gritted her teeth. _That bitch! _"Fine. I... I will tell them tonight. Alone." The last word was punctuated with a low voice far firmer than what Diana really felt like.

"Come on, Di, I have no interest in spying on you. _I _have much better things to attend to. It so happens to be that I will be quite busy on the Strip with my friends. You can gather your courage and do what you should have done months ago. Ta-tah!"

With a wave of her hand Benezia strolled out of the room grabbing her fashionable coat on the way. Ever since Miranda introduced her to human retro cinema, Nezzy was thinking of herself as some kind of diva. Or what was the word Dad used? Yes, _femme fatale_. Right, Nezzy's barely in her 70s and she acts like she's a know-it-all matriarch! Annoying, little, insufferable, noisy know-it-all! Ugh...

Diana continued grumbling under her breath while pacing the stretch of her room. Several steps up to the desk, sharp turn on her heels, several paces to her wardrobe, turn again, repeat on a loop. It was not really the talk with her parents that was making Diana so anxious, although there was _that_, too. The first part was what had been gnawing at her for a while. It was the thought of what happens after she tells her parents that she has a girlfriend, a lover. Not some passing flame or a hook up, but something special, maybe someone she was falling for...

_Yeah, right, way to lie to yourself, Di! _she thought, coming to a halt next to the wall and sagging against it face first. _You're already so crazy about her, might as well admit it to yourself, huh?_

Goddess, this outing would make the relationship so irrevocably real! And Diana was definitely ready for that. Absolutely. No doubts, no regrets, no second thoughts. None at all. _Shiiiit._ Well, yeah, maybe just a smidgen.

A beautiful, smiling face floated behind Diana's closed eyelids. What if _she_ doesn't like her parents? What if her parents don't like _her_? Of course, Diana wasn't planning on inviting her girlfriend to dinner, arranging a proper introducing, it would be way too soon for that. And scary, did she mentioned scary? Goddess, facing a whole horde of Thresher Maws or going through the Rite on Tuchanka again would be a walk in the park compared to that. Because there was the second part that made the usually so put-together Diana sick to her stomach.

The last time one of Shepard's daughters was found with a girlfriend, her father did not only overreact, she completely lost it. Granted, back then it was almost funny to watch Athena and Cor squirm, but now that it was her turn Diana wished she was more supportive. On her part, Di had learned the lesson well and kept her own escapades, however few of those there were, off the premises and out of sight of her parents. Until today, that is. Yeah, no amount of training could prepare her for _that_ conversation. Then again, unlike _someone_ she won't be discovered by her parents in bed in the middle of a mating meld so that would make broaching the subject just a bit less... compromising.

The alarm on the front door beeped and went silent. _Oh, Goddess, they're here! And earlier than they were supposed to!_

"Benezia! Diana! We're home!" Dad's habit of announcing her arrival in a booming military voice was not agreeing with Di today. Any other day she would have found it awesome, but today she was in a wholehearted agreement with her mother. That thundering shout had send her heart into frantic convulsions, drumming a beat far too fast to be considered healthy.

Diana had to do some calming breathing exercises to get her heart rate under control. Letting out another calming breath she wandered out of her room and to the kitchen. When Diana was young she did not understand why her Dad enjoyed going grocery shopping so much. Anything could be delivered right to their doorstep, any restaurant or shop would be ecstatic to supply Admiral Shepard with anything she desired. But her father wanted to buy ingredients herself, carry them home herself and cook... Well, at least here she conceded to share that honor with Mom. Now, quietly creeping to the entrance and peeking in, she understood perfectly.

Her parents were in the kitchen putting away what they bought. They were joking around, laughing and juggling boxes to put away. Dad was quick on her feet putting the items on the top shelves, wrapping something and checking if the bags were empty all the while musing about what they should cook for dinner. Her Mom was glowing. It was something Diana noticed her do whenever father was around. That inexplicable smile that made her eyes shine. And when Shepard trapped her against the corner coaxing out one tiny ball of Salarian Minju caramel out of the bag and feeding it to her, Liara giggled. Actually, _giggled_. The comical wrestling with the next caramel ended in a kiss and even a few years ago Diana would have been grossed out and mortally embarrassed to see her parents doing _that_! But now... Now she could see far more, understand better. That strange warm feeling in her chest, the one she only began to fully comprehend was bubbling up to the surface again.

Diana loved her parents. And she loved seeing them happy. Maybe it wasn't that scary to tell them after all. She grinned and cleared her throat.

Liara and Shepard sprung apart looking more uncomfortable than she was. Both hurried to busy themselves with something.

"Diana, so, um, where's your sister?" Shepard was running a hand through her scarlet hair disheveling it further than it already was.

"She is hanging out with her friends on the Strip. I thought you knew."

"Yes, dear, Benezia send me a message about that." Her mother was clearing away the last of the groceries. "Although I hoped we could have seen her before she left. What about you? You are usually off to the Arena by now."

"I..." there was a lump in her throat and Diana squirmed in her seat. She knew both her parents were watching her. "I wanted to talk to you. Both of you. That's why Benezia left early."

Of course they would exchange looks. Diana had seen it before. The silent communication. Perhaps it was the result of the joining. All the times Liara had joined their minds. Or maybe it was that her parents were so in sync that all they needed was to look each other in the eyes to know what the other was thinking. Or was it a combination of both? Coming to some kind of an understanding Shepard nodded and lowered herself on the nearest stool. Diana met her mother's eyes, eyes that were regarding her with curiosity.

"We are listening."

"Okay. Well... The thing is..." Diana inhaled and dived into the breach headfirst. "I have met someone. You know? No, I mean, I have been kinda seeing someone."

"_'Kinda'?_" repeated Liara, ironic sparks were dancing in her eyes and pulled at the corners of her lips. Diana expected no less, but it was safer to look at her Mom than her Dad, who was undoubtedly beginning to boil.

"No! I mean, yes. In any way, I wanted to tell you guys that I have a girlfriend."

"That is wonderful, my dear. Are the two of you... serious? Perhaps, you wanted to introduce her?" There was a garbled sound from her right and Liara swatted in that direction.

"Yeah, I guess pretty serious. But I'm not ready to bring her home or anything... Um... Dad?"

Diana chanced a glance at Shepard who was slumped down and muttering something. Catching up that Di was cautiously staring at her, Shepard straightened up and gave her a slightly pained half-smile. Emotions mixed on her open face and Diana thought back to the first time her father had spoken to her about the war, family and Shepard's own childhood.

"I... I'm okay. If you were anticipating the same reaction your sister told you about, well..." she glanced up at Liara. "The years watching you three had given me a lot to think about. It was hard to come to terms with it, but you girls are growing up. I wish you could stay my little blue babies forever. And I'll likely keep trying to protect you all like you still are, but... I'm happy you have found someone special, Diana. I am."

Whoa. Yes, this was akin to dropping all the weight after going for a fifteen mile hike in full gear. Di did not know that she was carrying this worry with her all this time. She knew and she didn't. She definitely was not prepared to feel how freeing it would be to hear she was being supported by her parents. A hesitant smile bloomed on her face steadily becoming something far greater.

"That is a far cry from the from the reaction you had to our firstborn being caught in on the act. No threatening the girlfriend or vowing to lock Diana up this time, Shepard?" Teasing voice of her mother's had broken the rather tender staring contest Di was sharing with her father. The latter throwing her hands up and shrugging off the light accusation.

"Oh, that's not fair! It was almost thirty years ago! I had to process it eventually. By human standards they are all grown women. I don't think I am capable of being the stern Dad knowing that our babies are older than I was at the end of the Reaper war. Yeah, asari age differently, but I'll never get my head around that. Might as well give up. I mean, Diana has been beating me at the Arena for years, who am I to tell her what to do?" she chuckled. "And I can tell when you are letting your Dad win, young lady."

Liara had moved to stand beside her bondmate and put her arm around Shepard's shoulders. Her father was quick to return the gesture and both her parents were staring at Diana with smiles on their faces.

"Now, tell us about this person that got you to admit you were putting yourself out there after all." said her mother to an agonized groan from Shepard, although it was at least 25% theatrics.

"She is human. The first time I saw her was on Earth. That time I visited with the Williams clan? Casey - you know her, Aunt Ashley's niece? - took me to this place... Um, yeah, nevermind that. So I had seen her then and I never thought we'd cross paths again. But we, how can I put it, bumped into each other on the Citadel, like four months ago? She goes to that famous Business School on the Wards. That's because she wants to open up her own club someday, but really she's a dancer."

"Dancer, huh? Did you show her your moves?"

"Ugh, stop it, Dad." Diana glanced up towards her mother to see that same glimmer in her eyes. Yeah, she was trying to suppress laughter.

"Aw, come on! It was a glorious day that I found out I was not the only allegedly terrible dancer in this family! From that day forth you share all the teasing and ridicule with me. I never let the unbelievers in the 'Shepard-shuffle' put me down!"

Shepard nudged her bondmate with her elbow coaxing a chuckle out of her. Liara swatted at her shoulder.

"Alright, enough of that. Does that mysterious dancer have a name?"

"Yeah." Diana beamed even though she did not want to embarrass herself with showing just how smitten she was. "Her name's Maya."

There was a long pause. Several deafening minutes ticked by as Di watched her parent's faces deflate. The smiles were replaced by frowns and it seemed like blood had rushed away from their features. It was one of the rare times Diana could swear she saw a glimpse of fear whoosh in her mother's incredibly wide blue eyes. Her Dad's face was slowly deforming from a shocked and slacked-jaw expression to that of suppressed anger and then back to confusion. Di blinked. She was the most bewildered one of the three! What the hell was going on?

"Um, is there something wrong with that name?"

There was no response for a while. Then Liara shook her head gazing somewhere in the distance. Diana looked to her father for an explanation or at least a reaction that could let her figure out what was happening. Shepard fixed an accusing glare on her and barked:

"What's her last name?"

Both of her parents appeared to hold their breaths awaiting an answer.

"Ortiz."

A huge exhale whooshed in the otherwise silent kitchen.

"What the hell is up with you two? Did I do something wrong? Am I not allowed to date girls named Maya or something? Would someone start making sense around here, please!"

"No, honey, nothing like that." Shepard held Liara's gaze for a minute, then got up. "We'll need a drink."

Without any complaint or reminder that it was still early in the afternoon, her mother simply nodded. Liara leaned on her intertwined hands, waiting. She did not protest at the sight of _three _glasses being poured only fixing Di with a look that held too much emotion for her to decipher it all at once.

"It's a long story, Diana."

* * *

**AN: **There are absolutely no plans to write something based off of this setup. And no one had been worknig on any oneshots starring Diana and her paramour dancer. Nope. Not at all.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: **This is more of a moody/angsty drabble, a rather sharp change of pace after all that saccharine fluff.

* * *

**Episode 7: **_Shepard and Aria share a drink and more memories on the balcony._

**. . .**

The hubbub of shrieks and drum of children's feet echoed in every room of the Estate for what now seemed like years, even though it had been just a few days. Shepard glanced back at the pile of bodies sprawled on the blanketed floor. The pillows and plush toys served as additional players for the battlefield re-enactment. The whole floor of the upstairs playroom was reserved just for this sort of games. Shepard stopped at the door just for a minute. She watched her blushing from laughing bondmate emerge from under two tiny bundles of endless energy. Liara huffed and thrown her arms in defeat only to be tugged to the floor again a minute later. She had been left at the mercy of Athena sitting on her legs and Lycoris, who tried to crawl onto her head.

Another round of melodic laughter reached Shepard's ears. Her eyes found Tevos standing near edge of the piles of pillows and blankets. The always so regal Councilor was dressed down, almost doubled with giggling fits. She looked so different in this setting, so far away from that poised statue of asari diplomacy. The proper mask Tevos would dawn on that podium. Here, now, watching her daughter rolling off of Liara's head with a loud shriek of excitement she appeared so unguarded. Relaxed, happy.

Shepard threw another long look at the romp letting a small smile play on her lips before silently moving away. She needed a break, at least some peace and quiet. The noise and constant pitter-patter of tiny feet had become deafening. Normally, it would have only brought a happy feeling to her, but this was one of these days. The days when her mood would go murky and even the sunniest of days would look dreary to her. The days when her memories pressed down upon the soldier, the days when she needed to be on her own.

Reaching the other end of the hall, Shepard slid the glass door to the spacious balcony of the T'Soni Estate. It was more of a terrace - wide and furnished with several comfortable sofas, a coffee table, even an old-fashioned human grill. Shepard had brought it here from Earth herself, not that she could use it without burning anything to a crisp, but that wasn't the point. Families were supposed to have grills. And picnics. And Christmas dinners. She sighed at the sight of the stupid grill shaking her head.

The view from the balcony was breathtaking. Low and high beyond the clearing of natural parks was Armali. It is shining with lights, gleaming against the changing sky. Deep violets of the sunset spread like a crown over the high pillar of the Temples. It was always really beautiful here on Thessia. Scenic. Reminder of how the planet had been restored in only a handful of years, like the asari wanted to forget the invasion had ever happened. A rather fitting location for what she was about to do. Shepard smirks at her own joke, lowering her gaze to the corner sofa...

Only to find Aria sitting there with an empty glass in her hand. The asari seemed deep in thought, a reminiscent expression on her face. She was watching the skyline of Armali paying little attention to what is happening around her. Somehow Shepard was not entirely surprised to find her here. Taken out of her reverie Aria graced her with a tilt of her head as Shepard drew nearer.

"Hey there," Shepard offered in greeting with a soft smile that was still rather strained.

"Hey." answered Aria.

"Don't mind if I join you?"

"It is _your _home."

"Yeah, I guess it is." Shepard shrugged lowering herself on the couch beside the Queen. "I just had to get away for a while. It's too loud in there."

Shepard leaned forward placing a thick glass on the coffee table along with a bottle. It takes her a few seconds of contemplation before the cap is twisted off. She tilted the bottle to take a whiff of the rich scent.

"What's this?"

Shepard turned the heavy bottle in her hands. The black label on the front of the bottle spotted English letters, but the motion was more instinctual than purposeful. Shepard knew of course that Aria would not be able to read, not that she could either way. The bottle was covered with scrapes and smudges, the previously black royal label torn and covered with deep stains. Although, the contents of the bottle were intact, sunset lights gleaming through the amber liquid.

"Whiskey. Single malt. The boys on the 46th division found this bottle in the ruins of London. Probably the only bottle of scotch that had survived the invasion. They thought it would make a good gift on my recovery."

Without any more of an explanation Shepard poured a generous amount of scotch in two glasses. Both of them then reclined back onto the sofa sipping on the liquor. Aria had let out a low hum of approval at the first sip and that is enough for Shepard to find a weak smile dancing against the edge of her own glass. They sat in silence watching the sky grow a darker shade of blue and the lights of the city lighting up brighter in the wake of night. For some inexplicable reason Shepard had to admit the company of the regal asari did not grate on her nerves, despite in the downer mood she was in. Even the conversation, when it does come, felt easy, a part of the moment rather than a distraction.

"It's one of those days, is it not?" Aria's voice was distant, her eyes scanned the horizon not seeing it.

"Yeah."

"Do you still have nightmares? I understand, it is harder for humans." The brutal bluntness came over soothing and not at all intruding like Shepard would have suspected.

"Sometimes. I doubt witnessing so much death and destruction would ever leave me. You?"

Aria did not hesitate to answer, though her voice carried deeper, richer, yet more subdued pain. "I have been alive for far longer than you think, Shepard. I had learned to live with it."

"But then there are those days. Once in a while." It was not a question.

"Yes, _these _days."

They were sitting shoulder to shoulder now. Watching the skyline, the distant buzz of the city, spires of the Temples and tall beautiful buildings. Moments of companionable, heavy silence were interrupted with occasional refill and low, strained voices. It was odd just how easy it was to share this dower, reflective time with Aria. Not a single voiced thought had been met with an improper question or a lack of understanding. Every tidbit of heavy thoughts and weighed decisions, some regrets and chains of responsibility. All of it was clear in the eyes of the other. There was no need to explain. Both of them were able to relate almost instantly.

"You know, when I really think about it, I don't understand how I survived. I shouldn't have." A small shake of Shepard's head caused the red locks to tumble down her face. "There were so many close calls. The impossible, suicidal odds. The war had claimed billions and I ended up being just fine. I know, it's the survivor's guilt taking, but sometimes I do not understand why or how it all got like this."

"_I_ should have been dead a few centuries ago. You have not seen me in the mercenary days. So reckless... "

"Hmm…"

Another long silence passed over them in the light breeze. The wind brought smells of the near-by orchid. Sweet flavor, somewhere in-between honey and strawberry. Thessian sunfruits. Out there, closer to the blinking lights of the city, the air traffic had become more visible. Rows of sky cars crawled on the backdrop of the setting sun, unending. Conga-lines of ants scurrying about their business.

"Have you ever thought about running away?" Shepard's voice took on a hoarser tone, the alcohol burning her throat. "Just leaving it all behind?"

"No. I have fought too hard to keep what is mine to give it up."

"I did. Think about it. A couple of times. Becoming a farmer on some backwater planet. But at the heart of it, that's just cowardly. No escape from who we are, ain't that right?"

Aria took another swig of deep amber liquid, inspected her almost empty glass and then fixed her resolute gaze on the horizon. Her eyes narrowed like she was gauging the distance, like there was an enemy there, somewhere. Shepard knew that look. There was no enemy, not right now, but it was easier to face the reality like it was out to get you right now. Rather than to accept that is was how it was.

"Shepard, we dealt in death. It marks you, no matter what you do. No matter how you justify your actions. I have killed for my own selfish reasons, and even when I did it for the sake of someone else the end result is the same. That is how the universe works. You're the hero of the people. But passing around rations and medicine or destroying the source of those people's problems yields the same effect."

Shepard let out a low chuckle. "Mordin once said a similar thing to me. I miss that damned Salarian. Even though he could not hold a tune."

"That, he did."

They exchanged a look and there was more in Aria's eyes, a story - bigger, deeper, more meaningful. Aria would not go on and that was fair. Instead the asari was the one to refill their glasses and they rose the scotch in unison. There was no need to voice the sentiment, the silent intent being more than clear. A toast to the fallen. Friends, loved ones who left.

With the heavy sighs exhaled, the atmosphere grew warmer just like the eventing had. What had been a heavy, dark feeling in Shepard's chest had become much lighter. It was hard to pinpoint what exactly had changed, but being worked through, slowly seeped out in the open, the dark mood had left them. Replaced by what seemed like an easy companionship. It was not happy or devoid of the shadow that their past had cast upon the two. Yet now it felt good to reminisce. After a while watching the darkened sky Aria was the first one to break the silence once more.

"I've lived a long life, Shepard. I remember a lot of… The front lines, the life I had lead… It does not let go. There is so much death and destruction in my past. At times it is hard to forget the memories I'd like to leave behind. Over the centuries I rarely ever had anyone to share these moments with. Someone who could relate."

"What about Thea?"

"She knows. But she does not understand. Not all of it. She's a politician, she had never been out in the field. At least, not fighting. Thank the Goddess," Aria added in almost inaudible whisper, more to herself than Shepard.

A minute of silence passed.

"What about Liara? She had been there most of the way through."

"Yes, she was there. And she had been with me, at my side… But she's not a soldier. She was a scientist. This was thrust upon her, I don't think she was ready for any of it. Hell, I wasn't. How could anyone be? Liara, she _had _to fight. It's different for us. We had signed up for this life, one way or the other."

"I suppose so." Aria scrunched her nose as if the thought of continuing what she was about to say made her queasy. "I will not repeat it again, Shepard. And I will deny saying it if you bring it up with anyone." A pause. "Thank you. For sharing this with me. It is better when you get to remember not on your own."

That was a true wonder that Aria had mellowed out enough to reach this place. Shepard tried to hide her smirk, unsuccessfully. She nudged Aria's shoulder with her own.

"You're not so bad yourself in a pinch, Majesty. Not that you'd ever admit it, but you like our little friendship just as much as I do. No matter how much of a bitchy control freak you are." Aria let out a menacing growl, but somehow there was no edge to it and Shepard could see that telltale twitch of the asari's lips. "Yeah, yeah. I love you, too."

It was a rather nice, warm evening. A good time to remember what they had endured, she thought. At some point later on Shepard's head dipped lower until it rested on Aria's shoulder. And maybe because it was a special enough night, or because of the alcohol and much too comfortable couch, the Pirate Queen did not say a word. She did not grumble or quip or thrown the redhead off. Behind them here was a sound of the door being pulled open a bit, yet neither of the two moved. The door slid shut a moment later. Was it Liara or Tevos? Either way, both of their bondmates knew well enough to leave them be. These two needed some time.

The night was bright and the breeze warm as they sat on the balcony lazily sipping from the gradually emptying bottle. Both flinched at one point as an especially loud squeal sounded through the closed glass doors. They shared an understanding look though, smiles blooming on two faces a beat away from simultaneously. A quiet laughter passed between two veterans, two old souls that had seen too much for their own good. But it was still a good night.

A good night to remember what they had lost. And what they fought for. A good time to offer comfort because it was indeed needed, whether either of them wanted to admit out loud or not.

On a similar night as this one, what seemed like eons ago, the Reapers had arrived into this galaxy.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** Hey! This here is a special episode. This was a birthday present for Rae, which I'm so incredibly happy to say she liked quite a bit. After you read this go wish her some nice things, too!

By the way, if any of you Rae's fans that follow this compilation haven't read my full-fledged TBE story, you totally should. It's called Kindred Spirits and it's all about the bond between Shepard and Aria and can be viewed as a companion piece to 'Better Said Without Words'. One of my best works, if I dare say so myself. Now, enough with shameless plugging, enjoy the fluff!

* * *

**Episode 8: **_Shepard attempts handling an unexpected question from her daughter to varied reactions from Aria and Tevos. _

**. . . **

Shepard lowered onto the sofa watching the kids play on the other end of the living room out of the corner of her eye. She dipped her glass of beer and let out a small sigh after taking a gulp. _Just a bit of a rest, finally, _thought the seasoned soldier feeling more exhausted than after some of her combat missions. It wasn't like she did not relish the time spend with Athena, quite the contrary - the little blue child was the light of her life and if she could make her small face split into a radiant smile, Shepard would do anything in her power to make that happen.

But being at the mercy of growing Athena with her constant need for attention, boundless energy and surprisingly analytic mind for a child this young all day long was rather draining. That is why when Tevos rang at the door Shepard jumped at the chance to pair up Athena and Lycoris for the two of them to play together for a while. And besides, having two responsible adults to watch over the kids was far in a way better than just one. Two calm, responsible parent figures… and Aria.

"So you are telling me that T'Soni is not here because of some lecture at Serrice University? Does she understand the meaning of the word 'cover'? I'm fairly certain it does not involve actually doing the job."

Speak of the devil. Aria was lounging on the other side of the couch making it look just as regal as her imperial seat at Afterlife despite the upholstery not being leather. And the color - soft yellow, a rather sentimental tribute to Benezia, something Liara was very grateful to Shepard for remembering when this piece of decor was bought - did clash with her infamous outfit, but the pirate Queen had made it work. Not surprising in the least.

"There's more to that appearance than what's on the surface, Aria." Tevos' melodic voice traveled from her chair at the table. Ice cubes clicked in her lemonade - a purely Shepard-tradition for the T'Soni household. "That lecture on the origins of Thessian culture will be transcribed through the Republics. Some controversial topics about the involvement of protheans in our evolution had been brought up and Liara pans to blow the lid on that subject. And judging by the way the masses reacted to the announcement of the lecture taking place, I'm sure she will gather even more political power among the people. Cunning choice of theme and impeccable timing - the matriarchy is under pressure to address some unsavory issues and they'd rather focus on supporting Liara than make the public pay closer attention to them."

Thea send Shepard an approving look along with a warm smile, to which she simply shrugged.

"Don't look at me, I don't get half of what's going on with all that prothean business. Never been much for politics." She took another draw of her beer noticing the distasteful frown on Aria's face. She muttered _'Asari politics'_ under her breath and pursed her tattooed lips, but then her frown was quickly replaced by a mildly proud smirk.

"Good for T'Soni, though." Aria glanced up to Tevos with a wicked gleam in her eyes. "Maybe you two can beat the matriarchs into shape in a couple hundred years."

Their combined laughter was interrupted by a storm of arms and feet that barreled into Shepard's legs.

"Daddy!"

Shepard looked down and was treated to the excited grin of her daugher. She put the glass in the coffee table to be able to bend down and place a kiss to the top of her crest. A few giggles and squirming against her legs were Shepard's reward. She glanced back towards the living room curious about Lycoris, but she was immersed in whatever asari cartoon was being shown on the TV.

"Athena," she focused on the child in front of her. "what have I told you about interrupting when the grown-ups are talking?"

"Not to…" mumbled Athena lowering her hand and pouting her lip torn between feeling guilty and bursting with some sort of unclear excitement.

"That's right."

"B-but I have a question!" her little face became illuminated with the urgency.

"You have a question, do you?" grinned Shepard catching the same adoring expression on Thea's face. "Well, in that case we simply have to put everything aside and answer. Shoot!"

Athena beamed practically bouncing on her feet with the bursting desire to learn something new. The little asari was always eager to learn new things, without fail bombarding her parents with all manner of questions at all times of day or night. Athena was absorbing knowledge like a sponge.

"Daddy, where do babies come from?"

"What?" Shepard shuttered. This was _not at all_ what she had expected.

Athena was looking up at her with wide hopeful eyes, the anticipation and absolute faith in her father painted across her small features. How could she possibly not answer any and all question this impossibly cute child had? Though, why did it have to be _this _question? Shepard groaned inwardly, her mind racing through all the cliche answers she heard growing up.

"Um… Well, you see, there is… um… A stork! So when parents want a baby, they get a visit from a stork and it brings them a tiny bundle in its beak."

Athena's eyes widened comically, then she frowned and her eyes narrowed in suspicion, the perfect image of her mother when Liara was about to catch someone on the lie. Athena had inherited her analytical mind and despite her young age was adept at weaving out the truth. Not to mention she had plenty of experience catching her father pulling pranks with her liberal interpretations of what was the objective reality and what was just plain funny to joke about. This was going to be one of those conversation slash interrogations Shepard would have found hilarious if the subject was anything but this one.

"What's a stork?" _Dammit_.

"That's kind of a flying bird. It's white and has big strong wings, and a long beak to be able to carry bundled up babies to their future parents." _Yes, lying like a pro! And on the spot, too!_

"White bird with big wings…" mumbled Athena frowning. "I never seened any birds like that here…"

"Never saw," Shepard corrected automatically. "And those birds are hidden, they bring babies during the early hours of the morning not seen by anyone. Their job is very important."

_Nice save,_ thought Shepard. She could sense Aria smirking to her left, but the growing disapproval in Tevos' green eyes was beginning to be palpable.

"How does the stork know where to go? Where all the parents live?"

"Um… Because… Because all the baby blankets have addresses on them!" _Haha, take that! I'm crushing it. _

Athena tilted her head, glanced at holding her laughter Aria and the stoic face of Thea and the questions barreled out of her with the speed and precision of a mini-gun.

"What if the parents move?"

_Crap. _

"What if no one's home? Does the stork go away and return later or does it sit by the door with the baby?"

_Will you stop? _

"Are there storks in space? 'Cause there are babies on starships."

_Maybe this was a bad idea. _

And then there was the final question. As if Athena got tired of poking small holes in this story and went straight for the biggest flaw. Her eyes widened and mouth fell open and then she asked:

"Where do the storks get the babies?"

Some outlandish and completely untrue explanations rushed through Shepard's head when something even worse had happened. Coming to some kind of a conclusion Athena opened her bright blue eyes impossibly wide. The question of where the mythical storks got the equally mythical children was forgotten. She fidgeted with her hands and swayed from side to side. She opened and closed her mouth in imitation of a caught fish trying to voice her thoughts, then her lower lip trembled and moisture welled in her eyes.

"B-but didn't you and Mommy made me? Corrie said her parents made her 'cause they loved each other so much! And then Auntie Thea had carried her in her belly and showed Corrie how much they loved her and that's how she was made. But… Did you give me to the stork to keep? Was_ I_ brought by a stork?"

Shepard panicked. Why did she have to babysit today? Liara would have been so much better at this. She could feel the disapproving glare from Tevos and, way worse, the stifled laughter coming from behind her. Amusement radiated from Aria filling up the room. Shepard really did not want to see her sniggering face.

A thousand times worse still was the trembling lips and clutched to the chest fists of her daughter. Shepard slid down from the couch kneeling in front of the child and caressing her cheek. She pulled her tiny hands into her own squeezing her soft fingers with her calloused ones with as much tenderness and reassurance she could muster.

"No, honey, I was joking! Of course, your mother and I made you and we love you so very much. I was just kidding."

Shepard gathered Athena in a tight hug running her hand up and down the child's back. After a moment she pulled back and lowered her head to look into Athena's face. She wasn't crying, but she did look uncertain. As if still undecided if this was worth laughing about or giving her father a hard time. Shepard knew Athena was aware of the joking nature of this explanation, so similar to many other pranks her Dad had pulled on her. Telling the moons were made of pudding and claiming Wrex could eat a kakliosaur whole. Athena gave Shepard a timid smile and she let out a deep breath of relief.

She gazed at the curious child with a mixture of awe, slight annoyance and bursting affection. Shepard bend down and peppered kisses all over the freckled face. Athena giggled but made no move to squirm or get away. The redhead sighed again bringing their foreheads together.

"Baby, I want you to remember one thing from now and always. Your mother and I wanted to have you, we made you ourselves. Because we love each other and we love you, more than anything in the world. And that's what really happened. Okay?"

"Okay." conceded Athena in a small voice, but her smile was genuine and contend with that explanation.

Shepard leaned back against the sofa sitting on the floor. She eyed her daughter with a cheeky smile that was returned ten fold. They both tilted their heads in the mirror image of sharing some kind of a secret.

"The stork story is pretty funny, though, right?" offered Shepard with a full-on grin. She made some flapping wings motions with her arms and Athena giggled at the goofy display.

"Shepard, you're hopeless." Tevos shook her head and held out a hand to Athena. "Come on, The. Since your father is such a prankster, I'll tell you and Corrie all about how you two were made."

"Okay!" beamed the small asari taking Thea's hand and leaving with her. On the way she turned and showed her Dad her tongue, which caught Shepard amidst getting up off the floor and caused her to let out a few barks of fond laughter. Athena was often shy and reserved with others, but with her Daddy she was as much the cheeky little devil Shepard was herself.

Still laughing softly at the crazy conversation Shepard flopped on the sofa stretching her long legs and finding her head pulled onto Aria's lap. The Queen of Omega huffed in annoyance, but her hand went to tangle and untangle the red locks out of habit. She sniggered glancing down at her friend.

"Smooth going there, Shepard."

"Don't start with me, Aria. This wasn't how I wanted _the talk_ to go..." She scrunched up her nose. "Ugh, I'm just glad I didn't go with the cabbage patch kids explanation. That one has even more plot holes in it…"

"Why can't you tell it how it is, Shepard? I remember you being quite outspoken about sex and conception, especially so a few times you went off about the appeal of your pregnant bondmate. Maybe you should have gone with that instead."

Shepard groaned and flung her palms over her face rubbing it furiously. Muffled sounds escaped from below her hands.

"What was that again?" chuckled Aria. "I couldn't hear you."

"Don't remind me of that!" groaned the redhead, her face was reddened as she removed her hands. "Not in the same sentence with mentioning my daughter. Agh, this is just so mortifying! I don't get you and Thea… How can you so effortlessly talk about sex with Lycoris? I mean, she's barely five, it's way too young-"

Aria's amused laugh caught off whatever she wanted to say next. The asari looked down on Shepard with mirthful sparks dancing in her eyes, her hand ruffled the red locks.

"Shepard, you are projecting human standards on asari children. And as amusing as it is, it's not the right approach. I know, I may be not the right person to give you a crash course on asari parenting, given my history, but what I do know is that there's nothing about how Athena was conceived that should be hidden from her. Care to venture a guess what Thea is teling her right now?"

Shepard let out a heavy sigh. "What?"

"That she was made because her parents wanted to make her. That melding with someone you love can result in the best gift life can give you."

Shepard studied her for a long while. Then a smile bloomed on her face, amused, teasing and wondrous at the same time. A smile that made her green eyes sparkle, however sappy that may sound.

"Is everything alright, Aria? You're not sick or anything? You're saying saying such romantic things, so out of character!"

Aria swatted her on the arm with a tad more force for it to be just playful and hummed her approval of the yelp that followed. Her blue eyes were pulled to the group of three asari on the other side of the living space as if by magnetism. She watched how Thea was telling a story - _the _story - to two children. Shepard turned around on her comfortable spot on the sofa to see what had captivate her friend so. Lycoris was seating on the couch, eyes wide and leaning onto Tevos' side, Athena was perched on her knee, her mouth slightly open in wonderment. And the soft dreamy expression that settled on the Councillor's features was rather serene and breathtaking.

"I suppose, I needed the right incentive to bring that side of me out to play." Aria's voice was teasing, lacking the usual biting edge to it.

"Just wait until they start dating," grumbled Shepard to another string of laughter from above.


	9. Chapter 9

**Episode 9:** _Diana on a trip to Earth with her Dad, just the two of them, that involves meaningful places and human delicacy._

**. . .**

Diana caught herself staring for what seemed like fifteenth time. She turned away from the throngs of people, most of whom were humans of all shades and corners of the Earth imaginable, with an annoyed grimace scrunching up her nose. She focused her attention resolutely in the direction of the ocean. Said ocean was no different than any of the wide expanses of water on Thessia. The same could not be said all the passers-by or the blocky, uneven buildings or the blinding advertisements in human languages blinking in broken patterns. Over her short twenty years of age Diana had visited Earth many times, ever since she was old enough to travel through the Relay safely, but it had always been to either Vancouver or London, not Rio de Janeiro. And not once without Athena. Until now, that is.

She glanced back to her Dad. Shepard was bouncing on the balls of her feet with each step, her freckled face telling of her enjoyment. Di's frown grew deeper. For some inscrutable reason Shepard appeared relaxed and relishing the free time far more than any of their previous visits to the human homeworld. Diana watched Shepard out of the corner of her eye as they left the crowded street and stepped onto the long pier. The old-fashioned wooden construction went far out in the ocean. She could have looked on the beach and its occupants, all the people in the water just if she leaned a bit over the high railing. But Diana was more interested in watching her father than all these strangers right now. No matter how fascinatingly odd they were.

Shepard elected to wear a pair of knee-long shorts, sandals on bare feet and what she proudly called a muscle shirt. As far as Diana was concerned it was just another sleeveless shirt, if showing quite a bit more skin than normal. In fact, if this were Thessia on a hot day, Diana might have gotten jealous and asked to get one of those to wear herself. It did look really cool how it accentuated her father's prominent figure. Shepard was goofy and intimidating at once what with her easy swagger and arm muscles put on display. Deep down Di was adamant - she needed one of those for herself, but not to be seen wearing one in this strange, new place.

She wore some thin pants, sneakers and a hoodie with the hood thrown firmly over her crest. It wasn't like she was shy or anything, it's just this city was loud and hot and weird, especially so without Athena. And she could not understand why her Dad was so happy to be here. There was a bounce in her stride, more than usual. The walkway on the side of the pier was a bit more secluded from the mass of people out and about to start a conversation, so she did.

"Dad," she started slowly and got an acknowledgment hum and a curious slide-look in return. "Dad, why did you wanna go here? Like, this city."

"Don't you like visiting new places?"

"Yeah, I guess, but not as much as The. This city's weird," she added apprehensively.

"Good weird or bad weird?" asked Shepard, her cheerful expression waning slightly.

"I dunno. The jury is still out on that one."

"Good, then. At least it still has a chance."

Diana hemmed undecidedly. "So anyways, why here? What's the big deal?"

"Well," drawled Shepard looking first out on the ocean and then back towards the blocky buildings. "Since it was supposed to just be you and me this time, I wanted to show you something special." She sighted fondly wrapping an arm around Diana's shoulders. "You're always so interested in my past, all that I've done. You're my biggest fan, kiddo. It's probably all my doing, too. But you did love those stories growing up, so I thought an actual place would be better than another story, right?"

"Whadda you mean?" perked up Diana.

Shepard gave her a wide grin, squeezed her shoulder and motioned vaguely to the city around them.

"This is where I underwent my N7 training. Most of it, anyway."

"Really?" breathed out Di taking in her surroundings with greater appreciation.

"Yep. _'The villa'_, our N-School, was once just outside the city limits. It was the primary location for the training facilities, the pride and love of ICT. It wasn't all rainbows and roses, mind you, but it was thrilling. Twenty hour training sessions were no picknick. Not to mention the drill instructors. But we did learn a lot and once in a while we would get some shore leave. A few other candidates and I would come here to unwind."

"Whoa." Diana's eyes widened. "That's amazing!"

Shepard chuckled. "I take it, the verdict is leaning towards positive now, huh? Would it be interesting to see where your Dad had some fun times? Though, I have to warn you - I was a rather rash and stupid young soldier, so… If the embarrassing stories is what you're after, you'll have to bribe me for 'em."

"Sure thing, Dad," snorted Di. "And, by the way, you're not all that clever now either, just so you know."

"You wound me! How can my own daughter be so cruel!" cried Shepard clasping her hand to her chest in mock horror.

"Hey, Mom's the smart one," shrugged Diana as if explaining something obvious. Then she grinned cheekily and bumped Shepard with her hip. "You have other talents, Dad."

"Not completely useless, am I?" chuckled Shepard.

"Nah."

Their companionable laughter was interrupted when Shepard saw something up the pier they were walking along. Something that caused her to nearly vibrate with excitement. Diana glanced in that direction and saw a cute little cafe situated at the side of the boardwalk. Many small round tables were put out next to the railing. Her father muttered something that sounded suspiciously close to_ 'score!'_ and pulled Diana by the hand towards the cafe.

In front of the counter Shepard turned to her daughter and winked. "Secure us a table, will you? I'll be there in a minute."

Diana could not understand for the life of hers what was so special about this cafe, but she shrugged and went to get them a table. It didn't take long before her Dad was bounding up to their table with two cups on a short single leg filled over the top with weird-looking white substancein her hands.

"Here you go!" beamed Shepard pressing one of the cups of _whatever-that-was _into her hand.

Diana stared from the cold cup - a spoon was sticking out the middle of it at an angle - in her hand to the joyful expression on her father's freckled face. She couldn't quite grasp what was going on that would warrant such jubilation.

"What's this?" she asked.

Her Dad looked up from enthusiastically licking the white substance off of her spoon and gave Di and puzzled frown. Then her face exploded in awed astonishment.

"Wait, have you never tried ice cream? I should have given you some, I mean we have been to Earth loads of times!" seeing the same frown on Diana's face Shepard went on. "Seriously? Not once? I was positive we went out for ice cream all together the last time we were in London."

"The last time we were in London it was raining like the irrigation systems were malfunctioning. And you were called away on some peace mission business. Remember?"

"Oh, right," muttered Shepard sheepishly. "Well, then - no time like the present! This is a human delicacy, kiddo," she began to explain with enthusiasm. "It's called ice cream and here, on Earth, we like to eat it when it's hot outside. Like right now. Try it."

Diana eyed the white concoction in her hand, skepticism open and unashamed in her scrunched up features. She looked back up to her Dad who was grinning and licking her own ice-whatever off the spoon. Damn, it sure seemed like Shepard was about to start purring. Maybe this was a really delicious thing after all.

Diana pulled the spoon and giving a small nonchalant shrug of 'why the heck not' put a spoonful of the white cream in her mouth.

The coldness was chilling. Worse. _Freezing_.

Like the breath of the tallest mountain or maybe even the open space between the dying stars.

Diana jerked the spoon out of her mouth on instinct, but the gooey substance had already slipped off of it and onto her tongue.

'_Shit! Crap! Fuck-fuck-fuck!'_ was what she wanted to say, but all that came out was a desperate "_Ughug-ughu-ghu!" _as she opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of the sea.

And then it began melting seeping the frost into every corner of her mouth. Her teeth felt numb in a second. The roof of her mouth was without a doubt covered with a layer of snow.

Next came the taste, or perhaps, she just managed to registered it at last. _Sweetness_. Overwhelming, teeth-rotting sweetness. Ugh, it was so over the top it could only be absolutely disgusting.

She had to get it out of her mouth and the only way was down. No matter the free spirit nonsense she liked to tell herself at times, she had been raised properly. And spitting out food in a public place was not something her Mom had taught Daina. So she swallowed the terrible white mess feeling the ball of everlasting winter slowly dropping down into her stomach. She shivered and then an involuntary shudder rolled over her body as the ice age of her father's planet had settled in the middle of her body spreading cold in every direction.

"Hey, what's the matter, kiddo? I don't think it's possible to choke on ice cream, but you're don't seem to be enjoying it."

Diana swallowed hard dropping her spoon into the cup. She directed her bulging eyes to her Dad, the horror struck grimace covering her face.

"_This_ is what humans like to eat when it's hot? Do you want to like freeze to death or something? It was so cold! And then it started melting. And why in the name of Athame was it so sweet?" Diana stopped to run the tip of her numb tongue over her teeth. "Oh, Goddess, I think my teeth are frozen solid. Why would you wanna eat something like that?!"

She went on and on trying to get the feeling in her mouth back to normal in-between the shocked mutterings of disgust. She was rubbing soothing circles over her stomach, miraculously it had worked. The coldness was retreating and after a few minutes she felt everything getting back to normal. Diana glanced back to her father and did a double take.

Shepard was slumped back in her seat. She was frowning in utter disbelief, she shook her head and her frown deepened. It was as if one of her fundamental beliefs had been shattered. A few lines appeared at the corners of her mouth. There was something eerily wrong with that picture. Her ever cheerful, unbreakable, unshakable, the one-of-a-kind hero of a Dad was slumped there looking all defeated and unwilling to meet her eyes.

Was it something she had done? Was it really rude to not like ice cream? Was it some sort of a human tradition and she had gravely offended her father's race? Diana sneaked a glance all around, but no one was paying them much mind. She slowly exhaled through her nose and pursed her lips.

Tentatively she reached out and shook Shepard's arm. "Dad?" she leaned in peering into her freckled face. She knew her own face was showing how apprehensive and a bit scared she was, but at the moment Diana did not care about her embarrassment that undoubtedly would come later.

Shepard looked up meeting her eyes. She gave an apologetic smile that was rather sad and lifted her shoulders. "Sorry, kiddo. Your sister loved ice cream growing up, I thought you'd like it, too. Maybe it's because you're not my little blue baby anymore, Di. I keep forgetting that."

There was something weird and all around odd about the whole picture her Dad was presenting. Diana could not put a finger on what was it exactly, but whatever it was, that something had made her heart clench. She could not name it, could not even discern it on any level, let alone communicate what she was feeling - even to herself. What she knew with certainty though, was that she did not want to see that expression linger on her Dad's face.

She slumped down in her seat looking resolutely in her lap. Pursing her lip for a moment she muttered, "I don't mind, you know…" Then she snatched another spoonful of that foul icy concoction and shoved it in her mouth. She willed herself to suppress a wince and let the substance melt on her tongue. After there was just a bit of it left she swallowed and mumbled: "It's not all _that _bad."

Once she gathered enough courage to look up from under her lashes, she was struck by the expression on her father's face. It shone with some kind of warm light. It was reflected in her green eyes, in her tender smile, the way she was leaning on her hands. Diana gave her a sheepish grin and let out a breath of relief after her smile was returned tenfold. She tilted her head and sensing the mood had somehow - though she had no idea how that wonder came to pass - turned in her favor grinned wider still. The anticipation was rising in her chest, far hotter than any amount of this ball of frozen snow could be.

"Can we go see your training grounds now?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Episode 10:**_Tevos arrives home after a hard day's work to find her daughter having a party._

**. . . **

Tevos was beyond exhausted. She had been in meetings all day and then had to attend a human gala in the evening. The only good outcome was that she managed to negotiate an early exit. It wasn't all that late when her escort reached her apartment. The Csec flanking her were quite vigilant. Tevos contemplated the necessity of a squad this size assigned to her protection, however she had to admit the reasons for it had been valid. One almost-kidnapping during the war, that had nearly turned assassination no less, and a successful one pulled off right under Csec nose. She had no illusions about what this black spot on their reputation would mean in the long run. Her security had been growing over the years in number and the protocols they followed – in complexity. Not that she was unappreciative, after all being kidnapped was not on the list of experiences she liked to repeat, but the overbearing attention could get to be too much. More so on days like this.

At least, the Commander had budged down in regards to one aspect of her security arrangements. Namely, Omega. Even he had to submit to the fact that Aria's mercs and, more importantly, Aria herself was the best protection, and plainly the most motivated party in that regard. Thus whenever they stayed on the unofficial capital of Terminus, Tevos only took two guards with her. Well, a few minutes earlier, on descent towards her home on the Citadel, she could almost feel the taste of irony on the tip of her tongue.

The mercs posted on the perimeter were Aria's. And once the guards in blue armor joined them… Goddess, that was just embarrassing! Thea pinched the bridge of her nose as she let the DNA scanner zoom over her on the way up in their private elevator. The posturing of these two groups was as ridiculous as it was tiring. She would have blamed the competitiveness on the traditional male behavior of the other species, yet the women on both sides were just as bad. They took it on like a challenge, to see who was more deserving of protecting her.

Thea walked through the doors as soon as they hissed open. The sight of a short hallway at the entrance of their Citadel residence, just a few steps long leading to a set of steps to the massive living room – that of itself made her exhale in relief. Finally, _home_. She leaned against the wall and bend at an angle to remove her heels. Tevos couldn't for the life of her understand why would humans call shoes by their singular part. Though, when the less than comfortable pointy shoes were removed and she suddenly became shorter by an impressive amount, Tevos had an inkling of the reasoning behind that name.

She leaned back on the closed door enjoying the coolness of the hardwood floor under her feet. It was an intriguing experience to attend this particular human gala. Everything had been styled according to fashion of Earth. The fundraiser accompanying the event was dedicated to preservation of human cultures after the devastation of the war. Thus all attendees were advised to wear appropriate attire. Tevos glanced down at herself. Human style dress. Deep ocean blue, more conservative than some she had seen there. Still, the silky material hugged her figure and wrapped around her arms and neck like second skin. And, a smile toughed at her lips, Aria would without a doubt appreciate if not the tightly wrapped body, then the expanse of leg on display.

Letting out a long sigh, and ignoring the little flutter at the pit of her stomach at the thought of her bondmate, Tevos held onto her clutch and shoes as she made her way through the living room. She had expected to find Aria in the kitchen, but no. She peered into the study – still no luck. Her facial tattoos moved along with a frown. Tevos padded down the corridor leading to their bedroom. Then, slightly muffled voiced caught her attention and she changed course turning left. Around the corner, behind the door left ajar she could see the bright colors of her daughter's room. Tevos took another few steps and barely stifled a gasp. This definitely wasn't something she would have expected to see.

Lycoris wasn't supposed to be home yet. While Tevos was out and Aria had business meetings to attend to, Liara had agreed to take Corrie with her. And yet here she was sitting on the floor next to a small table, which was filled with what Thea recognized as cups and mugs from the very kitchen she had been to not two minutes ago. In the middle of the table there was a kettle and at the edges were Lycoris' dolls – each supplied with its own cup. The toys were incredibly life-like, asari, humans, turians, a krogan female – all dressed according to their customs, animatronic arms and heads moving. The illusion of a tiny version of a real person was still easy to break for an adult, but young children were more inclined to believe the fantasy. Lycoris was telling something to one of her asari dolls bend low to her ear. A mischievous look on her little face.

And still, that wasn't what made Tevos eyes widen. Seated around the table, with cups in their hands were Aria and three of her henchmen. Grizz and another turian had taken the sofa behind where Lycoris was plopped down on the floor. They were both wearing armor. Familiar gray camo for Grizz and maroon Kestrel set for this other turian. Opposite them on a tiny kids-stool was a batarian merc in dark unmarked armor. Tevos could only see him in profile, but recognition flared in her mind as the man let out a garbled chuckle. Bray. All three were given a doll to take care of, all three had cups in their hands and all three looked entirely out of place.

Aria herself was reclined, regal and imposing, in a chair to their right, though her usual sharp aura was somewhat softened by the fact that the chair was yellow with little spaceships printed over the fabric and just a tad too small of her. Not to mention the little asari doll perched in her lap and the expression on her tattooed features. Deep blue eyes were focused on Corrie, corners of her lips twitching, the affection trying to escape her mask – unmistakable.

This scene was so bizarre Thea wasn't sure what to make of it. Therefore she simply stood at the threshold partly hidden from view by the door and watched on. Lycoris finished telling what was supposed to be a secret to the doll, then listened to the imaginary reply and beamed at her little friend. She turned to her father and bobbed her head in agreement.

"The showed me how to do 'dis! Her daddy always has a tea party when she comes back home! Its'a important part of her cutul–" Lycoris stopped, pursed her lips and almost crossed her eyes in concentration as she spelled out the complex word, "clultur– _cul-tu-ral" _she breathed out proudly at getting it right and blurted out the next word all jumbled up showing all her teeth in a smile. "hertage! Shepa'd said so. So we have to do it, too!"

"First of, it's _heritage_, little one" corrected Aria, the spark in her eyes and small smile equally indulgent and amused.

Corrie grumbled. _"That's what I said,"_ she huffed out under her breath, but Aria ignored her tiny frown that was gone as quickly as it had appeared continuing on.

"Secondly, what Shepard is teaching her daughter is her business, but I don't really see the point in showing mine the human traditions. Don't you have enough with your mother's lessons, huh?"

"Nope!" grinned Corrie.

"So you want to know about humans, too?"

"Yep!" giggled the child catching up on the game.

"And turians?" Aria continued keeping her mask on, only deep in her eyes and at the corners of her twitching lips could Tevos see the real affection seeping through.

"Yep!" agreed Lycoris again clasping her hands over her mouth to keep the giggles from escaping.

"Well, then I suppose you should ask Grizz over there for help, then…" drawled Aria glancing at the turian from the corner of her eye.

"Oh, no," murmured the turian in question looking between the father and the daughter. "I'm _so _not qualified to do this, Boss…"

The flange of his voice was high and more trembling then usual. If Tevos didn't know any better, she would have thought it a whine, but having known Aria's most trusted bodyguard for a long time she could see through him. This was all a game, he would be thrilled to tell Corrie about his people. There were not many people in Lycoris' life who were more protective and caring than Grizz. To say that the turian had been enamored with the little asari since she had been born would be a massive understatement. Tevos felt her own lips spread in a broad smile looking at them. She was sure Aria had been teasing, she obviously had already made that decision, _and _had discussed it with Grizz beforehand. The whole display was for Lycoris' benefit. Judging by the way both Aria and Grizz were trying to keep from smiling, she had hit the bulls eye.

"Pleeeeese, G'izz! Turians! I wanna know all about 'em!" Corrie was looking up at him with huge eyes, her hands clasped into fists and pulled tightly to her chest.

The turian chuckled. "I guess, since the Princess asks… Your wish is my command."

Lycoris gigged at the endearment and jumped up on her feet. Although, instead of going abound the angled table she padded to the other turian, who was closer to her, and started unceremoniously to climb up his armored legs. The bodyguard went completely still, his back and hands went rigid, and the expression of terrified apprehension flooded his face. He remained stock still as Lycoris climbed into his lap, then over his legs and further down the couch towards Grizz. Who caught her easily, sat her down in his lap and handed her the turian doll. Lycoris perched on his armored leg and leaned into his chest with her side. This evidently wasn't the first time this had occurred, though not for the fellow turian next to Grizz who was still not quite out of it.

Tevos heard a garbled sound and Bray burst out laughing. He was watching the new turian intently before that and just could not hold it anymore. Aria was openly smirking.

"Tornis, you should have seen your face! Priceless!" heaved Bray as laughter bubbled out of him. "You know, if ya wanna keep your spot on the roster, you really should get used to the kid. She's a firecracker, that one."

"Bray…" drawled Aria, though the menace in her voice was blunted considerably.

"Sorry, Boss, it's true though. The newbie was scared shitle–" Bray grumbled and glanced over at the whispering Grizz and Lycoris, who were not paying any attention to this conversation. "I mean, Tornis here was _concerned _about his performance around the kid. As in he thinks she's made of glass and will shatter if he sneezes too loud, ha!"

"I seem to remember a batarian who had been concerned that my daughter would poke one of his eyes out," remarked Aria with a regal raise of her facial tattoo, her smirk firmly in place. "When she was a baby no less."

"Apologies, but despite the popular belief batarians do not have extra eyes. I would like to keep all four, thank you very much."

Aria's sharp laughter was answer to his slight, and clearly affectionate, grumble. Even as her eyes were drawn to the giggling pair on the couch Aria raised her cup and toasted the batarian, who responded in the same way. Tevos had suspected that they were not drinking the traditional human beverage, but that was the smallest detail Aria could have changed in their daughter's request. Lycoris wanted to have a tea party. An idea that had migrated from the T'Soni household, and Tevos could not help but feel her chest warming up at the thought. Despite the oddities of Shepard's ways of upbringing, she was grateful for this. This little display was more telling of just how much Aria loved their daughter. Of how much she wanted to be a good parent for her.

Strange as it were to come home to her daughter having a tea party in a company of four of the most dangerous people in the galaxy, the scary-looking mercs in full body armor, Thea felt the surge of that wonderful feeling she knew and loved for a long time. _Family_. She never had any illusions of how it will go down. Even since the moment she first felt the life growing inside her Tevos knew their life would not be even close to normal. Lycoris was growing up not surrounded by what average asari children were. Their life was complicated and strange at times even to her, yet what was beyond any doubt was that Lycoris was loved and cared for by more and better protectors than, perhaps, only a handful of children in the galaxy.

Somewhat comical this, this bizarre image of armored mercs having a tea party with tiny dolls in their care and a giggling child looking up at them, this was the best representation of what her and Aria's family life was like.

And Tevos found herself, for what seemed like a thousandth time, realizing that she would not trade it for the world.

Slining a private smile she slipped away from her spot at the door and headed for the kitchen. Now was not the time to break up this strangely wonderful party. But maybe later on, after catching up with Grizz and listening all about Lycoris' day, after their daughter was sent off to bed and the exhaustive events of the day forgotten, she could get Aria all to herself.

Tevos had an inkling they had something to discuss.

Among other things.

* * *

Original prompt: _Aria, two scary merc bodyguards, and Lycoris all having a tea party when Tevos arrives home._


	11. Chapter 11

**Episode 11: **_After settling in for the day, Aria and Shepard's sleep is interrupted by someone at the door. _

**. . .**

"You know, I never appreciated enough just how big this bed is…" murmured Shepard tilting her head as she pulled her washed out N7 t-shirt down her torso. The underwear matching it wasn't standard issue N7, but – hey! If she saved the galaxy a couple of times, she was allowed a some eccentricities.

The sight before her was what made her mouth stretch into a crooked grin, even as her scarlet hair remained damp and disheveled – red locks tricking out at odd angles. On the bed however, an altogether different picture had to be seen. Both Tevos and Liara elected to dawn some human negligee, silky and barely reaching the middle of their thighs, but not see-through. At least, not this time. To say that they looked breathtaking would be a massive understatement. As if hearing her thoughts, both asari cuddled closer to each other intertwining their bare legs and smirking at Shepard out of the corners of their eyes. The sight was so entrancing Shepard hadn't realized she was biting her lip hard and her feet had been moving of their own accord. The low grumbling to her side was what shook her from the mesmerized state and she turned her head after indulging in a little head shake and a chuckle. At least her fiery freckles would cover some of the un-commander-like blush that started at the tops of her cheekbones. What she saw emerging out of the walk-in closet was worth the look and only made her snicker more and grin wider.

Aria walked out wearing one of Shepard's other t-shirts – since that was the only possible nightwear option that would fit her build in the Shepard-T'Soni wardrobe – a sliver of indigo of her own panties underneath, and looking utterly unlike the Queen of Omega. It was a monument to how much Liara and Tevos cared about her that either was trying to hide their smirks and gleaming with amusement eyes, though Shepard was far too brash and relaxed at the moment to let her own mirth not show on her face.

"Tell me again, why do we have to wear these ridiculous clothes? I can't remember you having any issues with sleeping naked until now." complained Aria as her facial tattoos shifted in a frown.

"Hey, now!" Shepard put a fist on her hip. "My house, my rules. And we have children over. What if they were to see us all sleeping together, naked, in the same bed, huh?"

"Humans!" exclaimed Aria, throwing her arm in the air, though she still proceeded to climb into the bed behind Tevos. "You do realize that you are raising an _asari _kid, right? We do not have a problem with nudity, it's all on your warped views and incomprehensible cultural taboos."

"Fine, maybe I'm still getting used to it, you happy now?" grumbled Shepard in turn getting in behind Liara and throwing an arm around her middle.

"I was happy when we were putting the jacuzzi to a good use earlier today," murmured Aria to several sighs from those present. A longing one from Liara, amused from Shepard and an affable one courtesy of Tevos. Though, in all of them the remnants of arousal were still lingering like the coals of a burned out fire.

"Stop complaining, Aria," murmured Tevos as she pulled her bondmate arms tighter around her front and shifted so that her forehead was barely touching Liara's. "I happen to think you look adorable in that shirt."

She let out a gasp as Aria bit at the back of her neck and then again in the nook where her neck connected to the shoulder in retaliation. This would have progressed in a dangerous direction if all of them were not this warm and comfortable. In one of the rare instances Aria chosen to let the comment go and only tightened her hold molding their bodies together. The green eyes watching the scene over the top of a blue shoulder gleamed in triumph. Quite the contrary to the assumption that she was influenced by human taboos when she insisted on wearing pajamas, Shepard was counting on exactly this outcome. She knew the four of them well enough to be able to predict what would be happening right now if they were still nude and cuddled together on one big, warm and soft bed. And that would not be sleeping. Or at least not right away. Not until another several hours of reprising the performance in the jacuzzi, and in the shower afterward. This way her goal of actually having a sleepover – like they had told their daughters, had been met.

She was just drifting off to sleep when a tiny chim and a hiss of the door shook her from the slumber. Shepard blinked the sleepiness from her eyes rose her head from the pillow and was met with the gaze of deep blue across from her. Aria's eyes were just beginning to dull, yet that flicker was gone the second her eyes traced over Shepard's head towards the door. The change in them was striking. Shepard had seen Aria's eyes reflect the steel resolve of the Queen of Omega, the dismissiveness and arrogance of the merc boss, the determination of a lover in search of her kidnapped bondmate, but this change she liked more than any of those. It was softness, warmth and concern. And even through the ever-present mask Aria always tried to keep over her face, the look in those eyes could not be mistaken for anything. Anything other than love.

Shepard turned around dislodging her arm from in-between Liara's fingers while at the same time attempting not to wake her. She would have failed if not for the abundance of experience and the additional benefit of those slender fingers reaching out and finding Tevos' wrist instead. The sight that presented to her at the opened door would have stopped her heard if the damned organ wasn't half-machine anyway. A normal human heart would not have survived the avalanche of this cuteness. No way.

In the door frame making slow little steps inside were two small, young children. By human standards they would be no more than five, maybe less, but asari really did have a different aging process. Shepard still had trouble wrapping her brain around it, and she sure didn't want to try right now. The two little asari were dressed in pajamas, almost matching sand the color. There were tiny space stations pictured all over their tops and pants – from the Citadel to the Omega. Athena had a yellow one, which made her blue skin pop and Lycoris' crimson one just looked like it had been specifically made for her. They were holding hands and Corrie was pressing a rather sizable plush doll of Commander Shepard to her chest. The expressions of their round faces were so precious Shepard wasn't sure she wanted to grin and laugh or let out a typical _'awww'_, or just gather them both up in her arms and squeeze as tightly as she dared. Athena had clearly lead them here, the serious determination on her face was making her look grumpy in the most adorable way. Corrie, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. Her eyes were huge and frightened, brow muscles knotted together and lower lip pouted out… and trembling a bit. She obviously had been shaken, but now was relatively calm.

Shepard heard Aria moving before she had even registered all of this. Aria padded towards the girls as Shepard sat up in bed, then moved closer herself. When she reached the door Aria was already crouched besides the two children looking at them with a question.

"What happened?" it would have been an order if not for the tone of her voice. Soft but firm, questioning but not admonishing.

"Corrie had a 'nightmare," reported Athena looking to Aria and then up at her father. "I told her it's gonna be okay and then we came here."

"Clear and to the point, that's my girl." grinned Shepard placing a large calloused palm over her crest.

The freckled child grinned up at her, but she remained close to Lycoris, who had seamlessly migrated into Aria's arms. Their little palms remained connected. Aria placed a kiss at Corries forehead and whispered to her.

"What did you see, little one? What had frightened you?"

"'Monst'rs."

Shepard tilted her head as her eyes narrowed. Lycoris was pretty shaken to be slurring her word like that and yet this all had just been a bad dream. _Monsters_. Scary vision of the boogeyman hiding under the bed. Perhaps, from one of the stories Shepard herself had read them. About generic monsters and villains, where the good always triumphed in the end and none of the fantasy was true. Unlike to the rest, the Reapers were an amorphic construct for these children. While they knew from the conversation picked up from the adults about bits and pieces of the Reaper war, they weren't privy to the truth about it. Not yet, not until they had grown up enough to know. For Corrie the Reapers were nothing more than one of the fairy tale villains of Shepard's childhood. Something that goes bump in the night. How ironic it was that those fairy tale monsters were actually real.

"And what happened?"

"They said they gonna t'ke mommy and daddy. And Aunt Liar and Shep'd. And…" Corrie gulped down. She was not really that scared, more like shocked by the possibility of the threat being something that could actually happen. Like a kid who found out for the first time that the Earth was a really big ball. She swallowed again and Shepard noticed how she squeezed the tiny palm in her hand. "And The."

"No way!" immediately piped up the small asari in question. To which both Aria and Shepard smiled.

"You see, little one?" murmured Aria placing another swift kiss on Lycoris' temple. "That was just a bad dream. No one is going anywhere. Not if I have anything to say about it."

"Okay," nodded Corrie giving them a growing smile.

"You know, what, Little Princess," grinned Shepard as she scooped up Athena into her arms. "How about both of you stay with us tonight?"

"Really?!" squealed Athena, but immediately grew solemn under the warning gaze from her father. She followed her eyes to the sleeping forms of two asari on the bed and repeated in a loud whisper, trying to be quiet but failing comically at it. "Really?"

"Sure," Shepard caught the curious look in Aria's eyes and winked at her. "Unless Aunt Aria has something against it."

"Please, Aunt Aria!", "Daddy, could we? Please!" – sounded in unison, all the nightmares forgotten and both round faces shining with excitement. Perhaps, even a bit too much for the late hour. Shepard chuckled – these kids were resilient, more so than worried parents, herself included, often let themselves believe.

Aria crossed Shepard with a stare as if saying wordlessly_ 'see what you have done now?'_, but it was clear to her that the ruthless and feared Queen of Omega was secretly enjoying the possibility far more than she was willing to admit out loud.

"Well, I suppose if you both promise to go to sleep right away, and not kick your Aunts in your sleep…" drawled Aria in pretend contemplation.

Her ploy was answered with vigorous nodding and promises and then both of the children were carried over to the bed. Shepard and Aria leaned over and placed Athena and Lycoris carefully in-between Liara and Tevos. Who even in their sleep shifted and changed their position to accommodate the two little bodies. The two squirmed a little getting comfortable and then – clasping each others hand – settled in with the plush doll squished to both their bellies.

Shepard resumed her previous position molding her front to Liara's back and felt her breathing hitch and then grew more relaxed like she had been missing something. She placed a small kiss at the nape over her neck and let her arm reach blindly across her bondmate to the little bodies in the middle of the bed. Aside from the soft fabric of the pajamas and little tummies already rising and falling in deep sleep, her fingers found another set. Shepard glanced up and saw that her automatic gesture had been mirrored and the fingers she had found resting over two smushed together kids had moved there following the same draw she had. Her eyes traced up the purple skin, along the arm to the shoulder and then to meet Aria's eyes. Shepard beamed at her unable to contain the warmth blooming in her chest. And by the twinkle in Aria's eyes, by the tug at the corner of her mouth, she knew that this feeling was not just her own. It wasn't unique in it's warmth or pride or adoration. It was the same for Aria. Likely, it was the same for millions upon billions of others. It was just that right in this moment, they were the only ones to have shared it.

Being a father, being a parent, having these two contently snoozing bundles right there under their palm…

That feeling. It was something else indeed.


End file.
